NBA roundup: Joel Embiid returns to lead Sixers to victory

 

[April 03, 2024]  Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 17 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and Joel Embiid added 24 points in his return to lift the Philadelphia 76ers to a 109-105 victory over the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.

Embiid had not played since Jan. 30 due to left meniscus surgery. Before his injury, Embiid was leading the league in scoring at 35.3 points per game, along with 11.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists.

On Tuesday, Embiid was 12-for-12 from the free-throw line with seven assists, six rebounds and three steals. He scored 10 of his points in the fourth quarter, when Philadelphia outscored the Thunder 36-25.

The loss was just the third in 10 games for the Thunder. Chet Holmgren led the Thunder with 22 points, while Luguentz Dort and Aaron Wiggins added 15 each. Jaylin Williams notched a career-high 12 assists.

Lakers 128, Raptors 111

D'Angelo Russell had 25 points and seven assists, LeBron James added 23 points and nine assists, and visiting Los Angeles defeated Toronto.

Anthony Davis added 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers, who are 4-1 on their six-game road trip. Rui Hachimura scored 14 points as Los Angeles won for the seventh time in eight games. Max Christie scored 12 points off the bench.

It was the 14th loss in a row for the Raptors. RJ Barrett scored 28 points to lead Toronto. Immanuel Quickley added 20 points. Kelly Olynyk and Gradey Dick each scored 14 points.

Nuggets 110, Spurs 105

Nikola Jokic put up 42 points and hauled in 16 rebounds, Aaron Gordon scored 23 points and host Denver moved back atop the West Conference by beating San Antonio.

Jokic, who also had six assists, passed Carmelo Anthony for third on Denver's all-time scoring list with 13,978 points. Michael Porter Jr. scored 15 and had a career-high 16 rebounds. Denver moved ahead of Oklahoma City in the West.

Victor Wembanyama had 23 points, 15 rebounds, nine blocked shots and eight assists, and Tre Jones had 10 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists for his third career triple-double for San Antonio. Malaki Branham led the Spurs with 24 points.

Warriors 104, Mavericks 100

Andrew Wiggins led a balanced attack with 23 points, Draymond Green made key plays late in the game and Golden State snapped Dallas' seven-game winning streak with a victory in San Francisco.

The Warriors won their fifth straight game as they attempt to secure a playoff spot. Klay Thompson finished with 14 points for the Warriors, as did Chris Paul, while Stephen Curry had 13, Moses Moody 12 and Draymond Green 11 to go with eight rebounds, six assists, four steals and his key block.

Luka Doncic posted a triple-double with game-highs in points (30), rebounds (12) and assists (11) for the Mavericks. Sidekick Kyrie Irving went for 27 points, while P.J. Washington added 20 and Daniel Gafford 10 to go with eight rebounds.

Heat 109, Knicks 99

Terry Rozier drilled eight 3-pointers and had 34 points to help Miami fend off a fourth-quarter comeback attempt by visiting New York and hang on for a win.

Rozier knocked down a key 3-pointer with 34.7 seconds left, and Haywood Highsmith followed up with a dunk after a Knicks miss to top off a game-ending 17-7 run. Jimmy Butler had 17 points, five rebounds and six assists for the Heat. Bam Adebayo finished with 15 points and nine boards, and Highsmith added 14 points and eight rebounds off the bench.

Donte DiVincenzo paced the Knicks with a team-high 31 points, adding four rebounds, four assists and four steals. Miles McBride had 24 points on 9-of-16 shooting, while Jalen Brunson added 20 points and 10 assists but had five turnovers. Bojan Bogdanovic chipped in 16 points off the bench as the Knicks took their third loss in a row.

Apr 2, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. (9) hangs on the rim after a slam dunk against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Wizards 117, Bucks 113

Corey Kispert scored 27 points and Deni Avdija added 23 to lead Washington past visiting Milwaukee.

Washington also got 16 points and a game-high 13 assists from Jordan Poole. Jared Butler added 17 points and Tristan Vukcevic scored 14.

Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered his 10th triple-double of the season for Milwaukee, finishing with 35 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists. Khris Middleton contributed 24 points and nine rebounds, and Bobby Portis contributed 12 points and 12 boards. Bucks star Damian Lillard missed the game with a right groin injury.

Timberwolves 113, Rockets 106

Naz Reid scored 25 points on 10-for-17 shooting and Minnesota held on for a win over Houston in Minneapolis.

Anthony Edwards added 21 points for Minnesota. With their 52nd victory, the Timberwolves broke a tie with the 2002-03 club starring Kevin Garnett to become the team with the second-most wins in a single season in franchise history. Garnett's 2003-04 squad holds the franchise record with 58 wins.

Jalen Green scored 26 points to lead Houston. Fred VanVleet scored 22 points and Jabari Smith Jr. finished with 18 for the Rockets, who have lost back-to-back games after winning the previous 11.

Cavaliers 129, Jazz 113

Jarrett Allen had 13 of his 21 points during a 40-point first quarter, Caris LeVert led a balanced attack with 26 points and Cleveland ran off from Utah in Salt Lake City.

Evan Mobley also totaled 21 points and Sam Merrill enjoyed a homecoming with 18 as the Cavaliers overcame the absence of Donovan Mitchell (left knee injury management).

Brice Sensabaugh tied a season high with 22 points and Collin Sexton chipped in 19 to pace the Jazz, who lost their 10th straight.

Kings 109, Clippers 95

Domantas Sabonis extended his post-merger NBA record of consecutive double-doubles with 22 points and 20 rebounds, and a dominant third quarter powered Sacramento past visiting Los Angeles in a matchup crucial to Western Conference playoff positioning.

Sabonis came one assist shy of his 27th triple-double on the season while recording his 10th career 20-point, 20-rebound double-double. The Kings' dominance of the interior against a Clippers team playing without Kawhi Leonard, who sat out with knee soreness, helped the Kings move into a tie with idle Phoenix for seventh place in the West.

De'Aaron Fox scored 20 points and dished seven assists to help a balanced offensive effort from Sacramento. Russell Westbrook's 20 points off the bench led Los Angeles. Paul George followed with 18 points.

--Field Level Media

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