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76ers

Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley Jr. has been named the 2023-2024 NBA Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year, the league announced Wednesday night.
Conley, 36, tightly won the race. The Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year award featured 10 players nominated across the league. This includes the Brooklyn Nets&rsquo; Mikal Bridges; New York Knicks&rsquo; Jalen Brunson; Indiana Pacers&rsquo; TJ McConnell; Cleveland Cavaliers&rsquo; Georges Niang; Boston Celtics&rsquo; Al Horford; New Orleans Pelicans; Larry Nance Jr.; Oklahoma City Thunder&rsquo;s Jalen Williams; Denver Nuggets&rsquo; Kentavious Caldwell-Pope; Dallas Mavericks&rsquo; Dwight Powell; Sacramento Kings&rsquo; Harrison Barnes; and Orlando Magic&rsquo;s Markelle Fultz. Conley Jr. finished with a total of 1172 points with 51 1st place votes (equivalent to 10 points), 45 2nd place votes (seven points), 49 3rd place votes (five points), 23 4th place points (equivalent to three points), and 33 5th place votes (equivalent to one point).&nbsp;
Conley Jr. has now won the award for the second time, having previously earned the honor in the 2018-19 season.
The 36-year-old point guard was recognized as the player who was deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to the team.
Behind Conley&rsquo;s good play, the Timberwolves finished 3rd in the Western Conference with a 56-26 record this season.

Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley Jr. has been named the 2023-2024 NBA Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year.

Mike Conley Jr. secures 2023-2024 NBA Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year

This article is part of a two-part series preview for the upcoming 2023-2024 NBA Playoffs.
With the 2023-2024 NBA Playoffs starting, all eyes will be on all teams competing for the championship as fans and players look on for a taste of postseason action. As eight playoff teams in each conference gear up for what promises to be an intense battle for the title, each team faces its own set of unique challenges. In this article, we take a closer look at the biggest question facing each Eastern Conference team heading into the playoffs, from injuries and roster changes to key matchups and strategic decisions.
<h3>Boston Celtics - Who&rsquo;s stopping them?</h3>
The Boston Celtics have been the best team in the regular season as evidenced by their 64-18 record. They have also been one of the most dominant regular season teams of all time, having the third-highest net rating in NBA history (11.8) which would rank just behind the 1996 and 1997 Chicago Bulls. If it were of any significance, those Bulls teams had 72-10 and 69-13 records and won it all in both years.
It&rsquo;s all written on the wall &ndash; the Celtics are in title or bust mode, which even just a conference finals appearance would probably be marked as a disappointment. Considering how dominant they have been throughout the season, a Finals appearance would be the minimum achievement.
This team is built almost as completely as they could ever be &mdash; offense, defense, bench, two stars that lift each other&rsquo;s game up, roster construction of players that complement them, and even the fans that are some of the most passionate in the league. These are things that are all you could ask for in a championship team, and with that being said &ndash; the pressure is on for Boston.
A big possible answer to that question is whether the Celtics would be the only ones who&rsquo;ll stop themselves from achieving and realizing their full potential &ndash; and there&rsquo;s only one way to find out.&nbsp;
The playoffs are a different story and looking at what we&rsquo;ve seen over the years, the Celtics have tendencies to underperform in the playoffs. With a new supporting cast featuring 2021 champ Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, a question lingers on the team: will it be different this time around?
They have had a history of flaming out in the past, and whether or not that continues this season remains to be seen. Time is the ultimate truth teller, and these Celtics hope to exercise their playoff demons when the time comes and their opportunities present themselves.
Will they be able to capitalize on a dominant regular season and take on the task at hand once and for all? They certainly hope with all the pieces they have now, they have enough to close it out and take it all the way and finish the job this time around to end the allegations against them once and for all.
<h3>New York Knicks - How far will they go without Julius Randle?</h3>
As we all know by now, health is the biggest factor in the playoffs. You always want to be complete and your best players to be healthy and ready to go when it matters most.
Unfortunately, this will not be the case for the New York Knicks this season, after losing all-star Julius Randle to a season-ending surgery to his injury.
Randle has been the Knicks&rsquo; best player for the past 3 seasons (before Brunson&rsquo;s ascension to King Knick this year). He brings that size and physicality along with that sneaky speed at the 4. On offense, Randle is a secondary creator and playmaker who can make plays for himself and his teammates. His improving three-point shot is now a weapon for teams not to sag off of him as much which could only help the Knicks in the playoffs.
Simply put, Randle is a matchup problem against traditional power forwards. Without him, the Knicks would not be able to tap on another gear that would only be possible with Randle out there on the floor.
Now, all eyes will be on Jalen Brunson as he tries to carry New York all by himself. It will be expected to see all possible defensive schemes thrown against him to try and contain the all-NBA caliber player in this season that he is.
<h3>Milwaukee Bucks - Can they hold the fort without Giannis?&nbsp;</h3>
The hits just keep on coming for the Bucks. After starting the season 30-13, they fired their head coach Adrian Griffin, and replaced him with Doc Rivers. They&rsquo;ve had their fair share of struggles with Rivers, losing to lottery teams like the Wizards, Grizzlies, and Raptors in one stretch, and they&rsquo;ve finished only a disappointing 19-20 the rest of the way to end the season.&nbsp;
Just recently, they received brutal news that superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo will miss the beginning of their series against the Indiana Pacers after injuring his left calf with three games left in the regular season. The upstart and young Pacers have been 4-1 against them during the year and it will be a tough battle without one of the five best players in the world playing. Will Damian Lillard and Co. step up to the plate?
<h3>Cleveland Cavaliers - Is this the &lsquo;last hurrah&rsquo; for Donovan Mitchell as a Cavalier?</h3>
All eyes are on the Cavaliers&rsquo; playoff run this season to gain ground after a disappointing finish last year. Can they keep soon-to-be free agent Donovan Mitchell happy enough? Or will another disappointing playoff exit lead him to bolt out of town to find another opportunity to win elsewhere?&nbsp;
Much of this will be attributed to the growth of their current core to gauge their improvements from last season. Will Darius Garland have enough juice to handle the scoring load outside of Mitchell as well as holding his own defensively? Will Evan Mobley display or unlock another offensive level in his game to be able to contribute on the offensive end to complement his defensive capabilities? Will Jarett Allen beat the allegations of lights were too bright in the playoffs in his second time around and bounce back from what has been a bad series against the Knicks last year? And is Max Strus the answer for the Cavs to advance into the second round with his spacing and shooting at the wing to give space for Mitchell to attack?
With his impending free agency, Donovan Mitchell has a big decision to make during the offseason. Will he stay and extend with this Cavaliers team who gave up assets for him? The Cavaliers have made some strides from being a young team with potential to a top 4-5 team in the East when they acquired Donovan Mitchell two years ago from the Utah Jazz. Since then, Mitchell has elevated their play and in turn, they got back to their first playoffs without LeBron James on the team.
However, rumors have been swirling that Mitchell wants to achieve postseason success, whether in this team or not. Some of these reportedly said that if the Cavs do not make the Finals this season, he might find another home elsewhere to chase that goal. Throughout his career, Mitchell has been to the first round multiple times but has been in the second round just twice. He has yet to make a conference finals appearance, and this postseason with the Cavs will determine if he falls short of that goal again.
Helping Mitchell this time around are shooters that the Cavs lacked a year ago, with Max Strus, Sam Merill, and Georges Niang now in the fold for the team. Cleveland got exposed by New York in just five games last year and it was basically because of their inability to space the floor around Mitchell and point guard Darius Garland. Now with an improved Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen all having a year to work on their games for this stretch, the Cavs aim to make the conference finals &mdash; before Mitchell&rsquo;s impending big decision in free agency.
<h3>Orlando Magic - How far can their youth and inexperience take them in the playoffs?</h3>
Being the youngest playoff team in the East's playoff field, the Magic come in with no expectations at hand. This young group has overachieved for the season having the fourth-best defense despite them being the 4th youngest team in the league. Making the playoffs has already been a huge accomplishment, but winning a series would not be so bad and would be a welcome sight for the team.&nbsp;
Nobody expected them to be in the hunt for the top seeds in the East, but here they are in their first playoff experience as a group as the fifth seed. This is only year 2 and 3 for young stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner and they could only get better as years progress. This is only the beginning for Orlando and they could be a difficult fixture in the East for years to come.
<h3>Indiana Pacers - How big of an impact will Pascal Siakam be in the postseason?</h3>
Right after the trade to bring Siakam to Indiana, fans and basketball analysts alike mentioned how the trade was a win for Indiana and that Siakam&rsquo;s value would be seen through in the playoffs. When the game slows down and teams are more equipped and prepared for their defenses, teams would need solid execution on their half-court offense.
This was where Siakam was supposed to come in, and now that it&rsquo;s here, will he be able to step up and lead the Pacers to a series win? The 2019 champion with the Raptors has played 41 games with Indiana this season after the trade, and he has averaged 21.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists on 55/39/70 shooting splits and he has given the Pacers a new dimension on offense. The Pacers who will go up against the Bucks for their first-round playoff series, have gone 4-1 against them &ndash; but it was all without Siakam. The question for them now is, how will they maintain the level of success they had vs the Bucks now that Siakam is in the rotation? Will Siakam end up being the ceiling-raiser for the postseason for them? Or could he end up disrupting the rhythm that the team had in the regular season vs the Bucks?
<h3>Philadelphia - Is this finally the year they advance with Nick Nurse at the helm?</h3>
The Sixers have had a lot of heartbreak over the years, from not being able to make the Conference Finals in Joel Embiid&rsquo;s career to choking multiple times in the playoffs, it's just disaster after disaster when it matters the most in the City of Brotherly Love.
However, they hope the outcome is going to come out differently this year due to one factor: Nick Nurse.
The 2019 champion coach has given the Sixers a lot to hope for with a breath of fresh air surrounding the team on offensive and defensive execution. This year, with Embiid being better than ever (being even better than last year&rsquo;s MVP campaign) and with the help of Nurse&rsquo;s diverse offensive sets, the Sixers&rsquo; title chances have increased significantly. Coach Nurse having the ability to make adjustments on the fly and push the right buttons will be a major weapon for the Sixers for their upcoming playoff run.
When healthy this year, Embiid has had one of the most dominant regular seasons in NBA history, averaging 34.7 points, 11 rebounds, and 5.6 assists. The Sixers have a 31-8 record when he plays, which would equal the best win-pace mark in the league. He now has a dynamic sidekick in Tyrese Maxey who has been named an all-star this year, and general manager Daryl Morey has surrounded them with capable role players to complement their skill sets. Will Nurse be the final piece that puts all of the Sixers together?
<h3>Miami Heat - Can they rediscover their old magic against the Celtics, but this time without Jimmy Butler?</h3>
At this point, people got to understand and realize that playoff Jimmy is a real thing. The dude just turns it up when it matters the most and the lights are at their brightest, and has carried Miami every time in the postseason.
However, this year figures out to be an entirely different scenario with Butler being out with an injury. According to reports, Butler could be sidelined for multiple weeks due to an MCL sprain &mdash; devastating news for Miami ahead of their upcoming playoff matchup vs Boston.&nbsp;
The Heat have faced the Celtics three times over the past four seasons, and they have beaten them twice. All those games and series featured a lot of Butler carrying them to wins.
Without Butler though, things have changed dramatically fast. Now, the question stands: will they have enough to defeat their old nemesis (who&rsquo;s become the most dominant team in the league) sans their best player?

As eight playoff teams in each conference gear up for what promises to be an intense battle for the title, each team faces its own set of unique challenges.

2024 Eastern Conference Playoffs: Each team’s biggest question heading into the playoffs

The Cleveland Cavaliers are the hottest team in the Eastern Conference, winning 14 of their last 15 games. The Cavs are currently 32-16, which is their best record through 48 games in five years.
With Monday night&rsquo;s win over the Sacramento Kings, the Cavaliers have climbed past the Milwaukee Bucks for second place in the Eastern Conference standings and first place in the Central Division. They are now just five games behind the Boston Celtics for first in the East.
This is somewhat uncharted territory for &lsquo;The Land&rsquo; as they have not been on any kind of streak like this before. Since 2024 began, they have the league&rsquo;s best record at 15-2 to surpass the franchise record for the best start to a calendar year. LeBron James&rsquo; 2008, 2010 and 2016 Cavaliers teams previously held the record with 12-3 marks.
Two of those James-led teams lost to the Finals-bound Celtics (2008 and 2010) while the 2016 squad won it all, which bodes well for this version of the Cavaliers with championship aspirations.
Their next 10 games to close out February include six teams below .500 and two games against a Philadelphia 76ers team without reigning MVP Joel Embiid, meaning this hot streak could continue. Their upcoming schedule is at Washington, at Brooklyn, at Toronto, vs. Philadelphia, vs. Chicago, vs. Orlando, at Phildelphia, at Washington, vs. Dallas and at Chicago.
The key to Cleveland&rsquo;s hot streak has been their main cog, Donovan Mitchell. Recently named to his fifth straight All-Star Game, the 6-foot-3 guard is averaging 28.2 points, 6.4 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game this season. The superb Mitchell has been willing the Cavs to win. What&rsquo;s more impressive is that Mitchell started this hot streak without fellow centerpieces Darius Garland and Evan Mobley in the lineup (although they have since returned from injuries).
Now, with Garland and Mobley back in the fold, the Cavaliers are even more lethal offensively and defensively as they look to contend in the Eastern Conference. Mobley&rsquo;s return has been impactful for Cleveland as they are tied for the best defense in the league in 2024, having a defensive rating of 105.4 along with the new-look New York Knicks.
The Cavaliers also filled a big need in the offseason by adding shooters Max Strus and Georges Niang in free agency. In last year&rsquo;s playoffs, they were exposed by the Knicks as they lacked outside shooting to complement Mitchell and Garland&rsquo;s drives and pick-and-roll actions with non-shooting big men Mobley and Jarrett Allen.&nbsp;
This season, the Cavs&rsquo; offseason signing of Strus has been huge, with the 6-foot-6 wing providing the necessary spacing. Strus was immediately inserted into the starting lineup over mainstays Caris LeVert and Isaac Okoro and it has done wonders for Cleveland.
Off the bench, Niang also provides the same threat from outside in certain situations. The Cavs also rewarded Sam Merrill with some playing time, and he&rsquo;s been balling and shooting the ball at a high clip as of late, helping the team go on this amazing run.
Speaking of LeVert and Okoro, both wings have made noticeable improvements from last season with each playing a specified role suited to their strengths. LeVert comes in as a secondary playmaker and shotmaker to ease the burden on Garland and Mitchell, while Okoro plays lockdown defense on the opponent&rsquo;s best perimeter player as well as providing timely cuts to the rim and knocking down the occasional three-pointer.
Moreover, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has found his ideal rotation now that they&rsquo;re fully healthy again. Garland, Mitchell, Strus, Mobley and Allen are the team&rsquo;s usual starting five, and then off the bench comes Dean Wade, Okoro and LeVert. The Cavs always leave one big on the floor at all times (either Mobley or Allen) when the bench players come in while Garland and Mitchell&rsquo;s minutes get staggered in the middle of quarters. Niang and Merrill are their ninth and 10th men, providing a deep bench whenever they need extra shooting on the floor or when Strus struggles from outside.
Now, the Cavaliers will try to finish the season strong and hope that their regular-season success will translate to the postseason.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are the hottest team in the Eastern Conference, winning 14 of their last 15 games.

The Cavs are playing their best basketball of the Donovan Mitchell era

Blake Stern previews the NBA's Central Division, breaking down each team's projected lineup and burning question entering the year.

NBA Central Division Preview: Burning questions, rotation projections

CLEVELAND (AP) &mdash; The Cleveland Cavaliers opened NBA free agency by agreeing with forward Caris LeVert on a two-year, $32 million contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Friday.
LeVert bounced between starter and reserve last season for the Cavs, who won 51 games in the regular season and ended their postseason drought before losing to the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because league rules prohibit teams from announcing deals until next week.
LeVert averaged 12.1 points, 3.9 assists and 3.8 rebounds last season. He was expected to have a larger role before the Cavs acquired All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell in a blockbuster trade last summer.
Still, the 28-year-old LeVert, who came to Cleveland midway through the 2022 season, found his niche and was also one of the team&rsquo;s best on-ball defenders.
Cleveland has been desperate to find a two-way wing to go along with its young core &mdash; Mitchell, guard Darius Garland, forward Evan Mobley and center Jarrett Allen.
The Cavs are expected to be active in free agency and have targeted several players, including Miami shooting guard Max Strus and Philadelphia forward Georges Niang.

The Cleveland Cavaliers opened NBA free agency by agreeing with forward Caris LeVert on a two-year, $32 million contract.

Cavaliers agree with forward Caris LeVert on 2-year, $32 million deal

BOSTON (AP) &mdash; Jayson Tatum scored 51 points &ndash; the most in a Game 7 in NBA history &mdash; and the Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 112-88 on Sunday to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the second straight year.
One game after missing 14 of his first 15 shots only to awaken in the fourth quarter, Tatum got off to the fast start the Celtics needed. He scored 25 in the back-and-forth first half and 17 more in Boston&rsquo;s 33-10 third quarter that turned a three-point lead into a runaway.
The Celtics, who lost to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals last year, will face the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals, which begin on Wednesday in Boston.
Tatum added 13 rebounds and Jaylen Brown scored 25 points for the Celtics, who rallied from a 3-2 deficit in the best-of-seven series to keep alive their hopes for an unprecedented 18th NBA championship. Tatum was subbed out of the game with three minutes left to a standing ovation from the crowd, which soon broke out in a &ldquo;Beat the Heat!&rdquo; chant.
Newly crowned NBA MVP Joel Embiid scored 15 points on 5-for-18 shooting, and Tobias Harris scored 19 for Philadelphia. The Sixers lost in the conference semifinals for the third straight year, and the fifth time in six seasons; they have not gotten any farther since reaching the NBA Finals in 2001.
Tatum started 0 for 6 in a Game 5 loss and missed 14 of his first 15 shots overall from the floor in Game 6 before erupting for four 3-pointers in the final 4:14 to force the decisive seventh game.
He picked up where he left off, scoring Boston&rsquo;s first basket and 11 points in the first quarter, 14 more in the second and outscoring the Sixers on his own, 17-10, in the third. The 33-10 edge in the third was the most lopsided quarter in a Game 7 since at least 1997.
BANGED-UP BROWN
Brown began the game with the black mask he has worn since breaking a bone in his face before the All-Star break. He took it off and soon absorbed an elbow to the face from James Harden, who was assessed a flagrant foul.
Brown continued without the mask but finished the half with cotton in his left nostril. He also played with an edge, making both foul shots and following it with a steal and layup as Boston went on a 9-0 run to erase a 35-26 deficit.
Brown also dove into the Sixers bench to save a ball, then had words with the bench after Georges Niang grabbed his leg and kept him from getting back on the court. Both players were given technical fouls.
Williams followed the commotion with a layup that tied the score 35-all.
WHAT&rsquo;S UP, DOC?
Sixers coach Doc Rivers is 6-10 in seventh games. The 10 defeats are five more than any other NBA coach and three more than the NHL&rsquo;s Mike Babcock and Bruce Boudreau. His teams are 6-16 in their last 22 chances to close out an opponent in a playoff series.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s an honor to keep getting teams to these places,&rdquo; he said before the game. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s people, your friends who look at you like, &lsquo;Why do you like this?&rsquo; And this is what it&rsquo;s about. You put yourself out there because you want to win. And you know if you do that you have to put yourself in these situations over and over and over again. And it&rsquo;s worth it. It&rsquo;s worth it. And that&rsquo;s what I tell my guys.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Tatum is the sixth player since 1997 to score 25 points or more in the first half of a seventh game. The last was Luka Doncic, who had 29 against the Clippers in the first round of the 2021 playoffs. Paul Pierce scored 26 for the Celtics against Cleveland in the second round in 2008. &hellip; The 10 points Philadelphia scored were tied for the fewest in any Game 7 quarter in the shot clock era.

The Celtics beat the 76ers 112-88 on Sunday to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the second year in a row.

Tatum sets Game 7 record with 51 points, Celtics beat 76ers 112-88

PHILADELPHIA (AP) &mdash; James Harden feels more at home in Philly this postseason go-around than he did a year ago when he was still finding his footing after a trade. It helps that The Beard knows his role alongside Joel Embiid, has his health &mdash; and his signature step-back is back on point from beyond the arc.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s confident in how we play now,&rdquo; coach Doc Rivers said. &ldquo;Last year, even when he was playing, it was, am I doing the right thing here?&rdquo;
Harden had all the right moves against the Nets.
Harden hit seven 3-pointers and had 23 points and 13 assists, NBA MVP finalist Embiid scored 26 points and the Philadelphia 76ers pushed back Mikal Bridges and the Brooklyn Nets in a 121-101 Game 1 victory on Saturday.
Tobias Harris added 21 points and the 76ers hit a postseason team-record 21 3s in the opener of this Eastern Conference playoff series. The Sixers are trying to win their first NBA championship since 1983 and advance past the second round for the first time since 2001.
The No. 3-seeded 76ers host Game 2 on Monday.
Bridges scored 30 points and helped the Nets at least hang around in the first half.
But&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nets-76ers-irving-durant-harden-nba-playoffs-e9921e98f9940f189c902b42c768041a">Brooklyn&rsquo;s starless roster</a>&nbsp;was no match for Embiid, Harden and a playoff-tested roster expected to make a deep run in the postseason. The Sixers had a sellout crowd of 20,913 in a frenzy from the opening tip, then blew the game open in the fourth.
Philly got it done even without a vintage effort from Embiid.
Embiid made only 7 of 15 shots (and all 11 free throws) and was flustered at times against double-teams that followed him all over the court. Embiid was&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/espn/status/1647309279739924480" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">smacked in the face</a>&nbsp;on a missed dunk that sent him crashing to the court in an attempt to draw a flagrant foul. Embiid got heated when he had his arm locked up by Royce O&rsquo;Neale and the two briefly tussled.
The off-night from the floor wasn&rsquo;t good enough for Nets coach Jacque Vaughn.
&ldquo;Hopefully, they&rsquo;ll be calling traveling and 3 seconds on the big fella the next game,&rdquo; Vaughn said.
No worries for the Sixers, though. Harden, who topped the league in assists this season, picked up the slack and stuck it to the Nets with his step-back 3s.
&ldquo;I couldn&rsquo;t make a layup,&rdquo; the 33-year-old Harden said with a laugh. &ldquo;But that&rsquo;s the least of my worries. My legs, my body feels just powerful, feels strong.&rdquo;
Harden&rsquo;s ineffectiveness around the rim in the first half -- he was 1 of 8 on 2s -- was offset by his 5-of-7 shooting on 3s. He buried two 3s late against his former team in the second quarter that stretched the lead to double digits.
&ldquo;He looked great from 3,&rdquo; Embiid said.
Embiid, the NBA scoring champion, could not impose his will against Brooklyn as he had this season to become an MVP finalist. He only took seven shots in the first half.
Unlike the regular season, when the Sixers were crushed by the non-Embiid minutes, the reserves came through. De&rsquo;Anthony Melton, Jalen McDaniels and Georges Niang all hit 3s -- the 76ers made 13 of 21 in the half -- to keep them in control of Game 1.
Bridges kept Game 1 from becoming an early rout in a homecoming effort.
Bridges attended Great Valley High School in Malvern, Pennsylvania, just outside Philadelphia, then played three seasons at Villanova. Bridges helped the Wildcats win two national championship -- the 2016 and 2018 national championship banners hang in the Wells Fargo Center rafters. Bridges seemed he would stay in the area when he was drafted by the 76ers with the No. 10 pick in the 2018 draft.
Then came a pair of embarrassments in rapid succession: Bridges celebrated on draft night with his mom, who worked at the time for the 76ers. The feel-good reunion lasted about 15 minutes and Bridges was traded to Phoenix for Zhaire Smith. Bridges is now a bona fide NBA star while Smith flamed out after only 13 career NBA games.
Philly fans can only imagine Bridges in this lineup.
He made 10 of 16 shots for 23 points in the first half and kept the Nets, who opened the season with Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and championship aspirations, within nine at halftime.
&ldquo;It feels good to make some shots,&rdquo; Bridges said. &ldquo;But I&rsquo;d rather miss shots and win. It&rsquo;s whatever.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Nets: Took 70 shots compared to 89 for the 76ers. ... Lost second-chance points 21-3.
76ers: Eagles coach Nick Sirianni rang the ceremonial bell. ... Backup C Paul Reed scored 11 points. ... The previous high for 3s in a playoff game was 18, which had been done twice.
FAMILY AFFAIR
Brooklyn&rsquo;s Seth Curry scored 10 points in his family reunion against his father-in-law, Rivers.
Rivers said coaching against Curry, who played under his father-in-law with the 76ers before he was traded last season, was &ldquo;awkward.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Talking to my daughter this morning, I just thought she was cold,&rdquo; Rivers said, laughing. &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t appreciate the conversation.&rdquo;

The Philadelphia 76ers pushed back Mikal Bridges and the Brooklyn Nets in a 121-101 Game 1 victory on Saturday.

Harden scores 23 as 76ers cruise past Nets 121-101 in Game 1

MILWAUKEE (AP) &mdash; Giannis Antetokounmpo had 33 points, 14 rebounds and six assists and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 117-104 on Sunday night to move a step closer to the top playoff seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Bucks (56-22) have a two-game lead over Boston (54-24) with four games left. Boston won the season series with Milwaukee and has the tiebreaker. Philadelphia (51-27) is third in the East.
Brook Lopez scored 21 points, Khris Middleton had 19 and Jrue Holiday and Bobby Portis each added 18 as the Bucks shot 57.5%. Middleton also had nine assists.
Tyrese Maxey had 29 points and Joel Embiid 28 for the 76ers.
The Bucks bounced back three nights after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/milwaukee-bucks-boston-celtics-sports-602518fe91ba1ade71877f8d634cbdd4#:~:text=MILWAUKEE%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20Jayson%20Tatum,in%20the%20Eastern%20Conference%20standings." target="_blank" rel="noopener">140-99 home loss to Boston</a>&nbsp;that matched their most-lopsided defeat of the season. The Bucks never trailed thanks to a blistering start that enabled them to build a 31-15 lead.
Milwaukee made its first first eight shots from the floor and 12 of its first 13. The Bucks were 5 of 5 from 3-point range during that stretch.
The Bucks eventually led by 20 during a first half in which they shot 67.4%.
After making their first five 3-point attempts of the night, the Bucks missed 14 of their next 15. But after the Bucks&rsquo; lead dwindled to four with about four minutes left in the third quarter, Bobby Portis ended the dry spell by sinking a 27-footer.
Milwaukee soon regained a double-digit advantage and broke the game open by going on a 16-2 run that began late in the third quarter and carried over to the final period. Antetokounmpo scored nine points during that stretch and capped the spurt with a basket putting the Bucks ahead 105-84 with 9:04 remaining.
TIP-INS
76ers: Georges Niang went scoreless and missed his only two shots, both from 3-point range. Niang had gone a combined 9 of 14 from 3-point range in Philadelphia&rsquo;s last two matchups with the Bucks, which both resulted in victories for the 76ers. ... James Harden was held to 11 points after flirting with a triple-double in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bucks-76ers-giannis-antetokounmpo-joel-embiid-harden-4d4536b59829e9d8de1d14d0cde6a861" target="_blank" rel="noopener">133-130 victory at Milwaukee</a>&nbsp;on March 4. Harden had 38 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds in the March 4 game.
Bucks: Grayson Allen left midway through the third quarter with a sprained right ankle. ... The Bucks observed Autism Acceptance Night on Sunday by lowering the decibel level of noise and in-game sounds, keeping the lights on for the entire game and not using any strobing lights. Bucks forward Joe Ingles and his wife, Renae, had unveiled upgraded sensory rooms at Fiserv Forum during a Thursday news conference. Their 6-year-old son, Jacob, has autism.
UP NEXT
76ers: Host Boston on Tuesday night.
Bucks: At Washington on Tuesday night.&nbsp;

The Bucks beat the 76ers 117-104 on Sunday night to move a step closer to the top playoff seed in the Eastern Conference.

Giannis Antetokounmpo helps hot-shooting Bucks beat 76ers 117-104

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey each scored 31 points and Tobias Harris added 24 as the Philadelphia 76ers routed the Indiana Pacers 141-121 on Saturday night to match their season high with an eighth consecutive victory.
In a matchup of teams missing All-Stars &mdash; Philadelphia&rsquo;s James Harden and Indiana&rsquo;s Tyrese Haliburton &mdash; the 76ers shot 61% from the field, led by as many as 24 points and never looked back after overcoming an early eight-point deficit.
Embiid, who set a franchise record with his ninth straight outing of at least 30 points, chipped in seven assists and seven rebounds. Philadelphia legends Allen Iverson and Wilt Chamberlain each had eight-game runs of 30 points or more.
&ldquo;Embiid is right now probably the (NBA) MVP with what their team is doing and how he&rsquo;s just elevated his game,&rdquo; Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s as a difficult a guy to plan for as there is in the game. He had 31 points and made it look like he wasn&rsquo;t even trying to do it. He&rsquo;s a walking cheat code.&rdquo;
De&rsquo;Anthony Melton started in Harden&rsquo;s place and finished with 14 points, five assists, five rebounds and six steals, while Maxey had seven assists.
&ldquo;I was really happy,&rdquo; Sixers coach Doc Rivers said. &ldquo;Everybody contributed. Joel at times was our point guard. He probably had 15 hockey assists, and that was just terrific. Low turnovers. Against a high-scoring team on the road, you had to do that.&rdquo;
Aaron Nesmith led the Pacers with 25 points and six rebounds, Andrew Nembhard scored 20 points, and Myles Turner finished with 20 points. Indiana shot 51% from the field, but never led after the first quarter and dropped to 6-4 in its last 10 games.
Philadelphia, in third place in the Eastern Conference, led 34-24 entering the second period, 72-61 at halftime and 106-95 entering the fourth before breaking it open with a 9-0 run to start the final frame. Harden missed the game due to &ldquo;injury recovery,&rdquo; according to the team.
&ldquo;The thing about Harden being out is now the ball is going to be in Joel&rsquo;s hands a lot more and Maxey&rsquo;s hands a lot more, and we didn&rsquo;t do enough things to make it hard on them,&rdquo; Carlisle said. &ldquo;Bad game for us. We just didn&rsquo;t play well. Disappointing.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
76ers: Starting power forward P.J. Tucker was sidelined by a sore left ankle. &hellip; Georges Niang, drafted by the Pacers in 2016, was one of two double-figure bench scorers for Philadelphia. He and Paul Reed had 10 each. &hellip; The 76ers, who improved to 22-12 on the road, were outrebounded 47-35.
Pacers: Bennedict Mathurin, averaging 16.6 points, second-most among rookies, sat out with a sprained right ankle. &hellip; Shane Steichen, hired last month as the Indianapolis Colts&rsquo; new head coach, attended the Pacers&rsquo; pregame shootaround along with wide receivers coach Reggie Wayne. &hellip; Carlisle said &ldquo;a little longer&rdquo; timetable remains for the return of Haliburton, who missed his fourth straight contest.
UP NEXT
76ers: Host the Chicago Bulls on Monday night.
Pacers: Begin a four-game trip Monday night at the Charlotte Hornets.

Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey each scored 31 points as the 76ers routed the Pacers 141-121 on Saturday night.

Joel Embiid, Maxey net 31, 76ers top Pacers for 8th straight win

MILWAUKEE (AP) &mdash; Joel Embiid made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 41.4 seconds left and the Philadelphia 76ers rallied from a 19-point deficit to beat Milwaukee 133-130 on Saturday, snapping the Bucks&rsquo; 16-game winning streak.
Milwaukee had the longest winning streak by any NBA team since the Phoenix Suns had 18 straight victories early last season.
The 76ers trailed 125-121 before James Harden, who scored a game-high 38 points, hit a 3-pointer with 1:21 left. After Giannis Antetokounmpo missed a shot from around the basket, Embiid sank a 3-pointer that gave Philadelphia its first lead of the second half.
After Jrue Holiday missed a 3-point attempt with 25 seconds remaining, the 76ers went 6 of 6 from the line the rest of the way to seal the victory.
Harden added 10 assists and nine rebounds. Embiid had 31 points, 10 assists and six rebounds. Tyrese Maxey added 26 points and Georges Niang had 16.
Antetokounmpo had 34 points and 13 rebounds for Milwaukee. Brook Lopez and Holiday added 26 points apiece. Grayson Allen had 20, all in the third quarter.
The 76ers pulled off this comeback without a couple of key players.
Philadelphia&rsquo;s Tobias Harris didn&rsquo;t play in the second half due to left calf soreness and P.J. Tucker sat out the fourth quarter with back spasms. Harris scored three points in 13 minutes, while Tucker had two points in 19 minutes.
Milwaukee had built a 19-point lead in the second half thanks largely to Allen&rsquo;s hot streak.
After going scoreless and attempting just one shot in the first half, Allen scored 20 points in the first 9 minutes, 19 seconds of the third quarter. He went 6 of 6 from 3-point range during that stretch.
Allen capped his third-quarter scoring with a 3-pointer that gave Milwaukee a 95-77 lead with 2:41 left in the third.
The 76ers erased nearly all of that deficit in about 5 &frac12; minutes.
Philadelphia trailed 99-85 at the end of three quarters but scored the first nine points of the fourth. The 76ers cut Milwaukee&rsquo;s lead to 101-100 on Harden&rsquo;s three-point play with 9:07 left.
Antetokounmpo responded with a three-point play that gave the Bucks some breathing room, but the 76ers kept coming and eventually tied the game at 108 on Niang&rsquo;s 3-pointer with 6:23 left.
Milwaukee regained the lead as Antetokounmpo drove, scored and drew a foul on Embiid for a three-point play with 5:55 left.
Once again, the 76ers responded. And this time, they finally regained the lead and made sure it stuck.
TIP-INS
76ers: Dewayne Dedmon was available to play but didn&rsquo;t take the floor. Dedmon has been dealing with a sore left hip and hasn&rsquo;t played for the 76ers&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-76ers-miami-heat-nba-sports-montrezl-harrell-5691c1a683a9e5b70954ead21170c923">since signing with them</a>&nbsp;on Feb. 14. ... 76ers coach Doc Rivers, a former Marquette star whose jersey hangs from the Fiserv Forum banners, says he visited with Marquette coach Shaka Smart on Friday night during the team&rsquo;s trip to Milwaukee.
Bucks: Wesley Matthews missed a fifth straight game with a strained right calf. ... Antetokounmpo went 16 of 18 on free-throw attempts. One of the misses was a 10-second violation on his first attempt. Antetokounmpo had gone 4 of 15 from the line the last time the Bucks faced the 76ers, a 110-102 loss on Nov. 18. ... The Bucks signed C Meyers Leonard to a second 10-day contract. Leonard has averaged 2.8 points, 2 rebounds and 6.8 minutes in four appearances.
UP NEXT
76ers: At Indiana on Monday in the fourth game of a five-game road swing.
Bucks: At Washington on Sunday.

The 76ers rallied from a 19-point deficit to beat the Bucks 133-130 on Saturday, snapping Milwaukee's 16-game winning streak.

Sixers rally to win 133-130, snap Bucks’ 16-game streak

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) &mdash; Tyrese Maxey scored 15 of his 32 points in the third quarter and the Philadelphia 76ers, playing without Joel Embiid and James Harden, completed a perfect five-game road trip by beating the Sacramento Kings 129-127 on Saturday night.
Maxey also had seven assists and six rebounds to help the 76ers overcome a 21-point deficit.
Embiid and Harden rested foot injuries but the rest of the 76ers snapped Sacramento&rsquo;s six-game winning streak.
Tobias Harris, Montrezl Harrell and Georges Niang all had 17 points for the Sixers.
&ldquo;That was a resilient win by our guys,&rdquo; 76ers coach Doc Rivers said. &ldquo;Everyone who played did something to help us win tonight. It&rsquo;s a team win.&rdquo;
De&rsquo;Aaron Fox had 31 points and nine assists for the Kings (26-19). Harrison Barnes had 27 points, going 6 for 9 from 3-point range. Kevin Huerter added 20 points.
&ldquo;They have some good players,&rdquo; Huerter said. &ldquo;This is a team that, when healthy, you can put against anyone in the East.&rdquo;
The Kings built a 71-50 margin on a 3-point basket by Huerter with 3:10 left in the second quarter. The 76ers went on a 14-3 run but the Kings held on to lead 74-64 at the half.
The 76ers surged back to tie the game at 86 on a three-point play by Harrell with 6:59 left in the third quarter. The Kings regained the lead when Barnes scored the next five points but the 76ers mounted a 16-5 run to end the quarter with a 102-96 lead.
Maxey scored 12 of the 76ers&rsquo; first 16 points in the third quarter.
&ldquo;I was telling them (76ers) I was gonna come out aggressive in the third,&rdquo; Maxey said. &ldquo;I think in the first and third quarter I was letting them (Kings) dictate what shots that I was taking. (In the third), I dictated what we needed. I think I did that for most part of the third quarter.&rdquo;
The 76ers opened a 107-96 lead early in the fourth until the Kings rallied back to cut the lead to one point on two occasions, the last when Keegan Murray made a 3-pointer to make it 127-126 with eight seconds left to play.
After Maxey made two free throws on the next play to extend the lead by three points, Matisse Thybulle fouled Barnes on his three-point attempt. Barnes missed the first, made the second, and then intentionally missed the third shot but the 76ers got the rebound to end the game.
The 76ers swept the series 2-0, including a 123-103 victory in Philadelphia on Dec. 14. The last time the Kings beat the 76ers was 115-108 on Feb. 2, 2019, in Sacramento.
&ldquo;Give them a lot of credit,&rdquo; Kings coach Mike Brown said. &ldquo;They came in here and took this game from us.&rdquo;
EMBIID AND HARDEN SIDELINED:
Embiid, the league&rsquo;s second-leading scorer, sat out with left foot injury recovery, while Harden was sidelined due to right foot tendon strain management. Harrell and Maxey started in place of the two All-Stars.
TIP-INS
76ers: The 76ers are 18-4 since starting the season 12-12. They have won nine of their first 11 games in January. &hellip; Shake Milton had 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds off the bench.
Kings: Chimezie Metu went to the locker room in the second quarter with a left leg injury and did not return. ... Domantas Sabonis has recorded 22 straight double-doubles. ... Fox&rsquo;s four assists early in the first half passed Bob Davies for the eighth spot on the Kings' career list with 2,251.
&nbsp;

Tyrese Maxey scored 15 of his 32 points in the third quarter and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Sacramento Kings 129-127.

76ers, without Embiid and Harden, edge Kings for 5-0 trip

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Joel Embiid set the tone with 26 points in the first half. Philadelphia's bench came up big in the late going.
Embiid finished with 41 points and the 76ers recovered after blowing a 14-point, first-half lead to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 120-110 on Tuesday night for their third straight win.
&ldquo;I was just trying to start off strong because what I&rsquo;ve come to find out is that my energy kind of drives the whole team,&rdquo; Embiid said. &ldquo;If I&rsquo;m at least being aggressive offensively and defensively, my teammates are going to pick up no matter if I make shots or not.&rdquo;
Embiid had nine rebounds and made 15 of 18 free throws before leaving the game with 2:53 remaining. Philadelphia fans chanted &ldquo;MVP! MVP!&rdquo; as he raised both arms to encourage the cheers.
Embiid had his fifth straight game with at least 30 points.
&ldquo;It wouldn&rsquo;t be happening without my teammates,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;James (Harden) is doing a good job of making it easy for me. Guys knocking down shots opens up a lot for me to go out and dominate.&rdquo;
Tyrese Maxey added 22 points off the bench. Tobias Harris had 20 points as the 76ers closed out a Los Angeles sweep, having edged the Lakers by one point two nights earlier.
After getting outscored 37-27 in the third, the Sixers dominated the fourth. They outscored the Clippers 30-21 in a reversal of the third when LA rallied from 11 points down.
&ldquo;I told the bench, &lsquo;It&rsquo;s very important we build this lead back,' and that's what we did,&rdquo; Maxey said. &ldquo;Everybody is buying into their roles.&rdquo;
Maxey carried the 76ers early with Embiid resting. He hit three consecutive 3-pointers and had a pair of free throws to extend the 76ers' lead to 101-93.
&ldquo;I liked how we closed the game,&rdquo; Embiid said. &ldquo;Tyrese took over to start the fourth. By the time we had to come in, we just had to finish the job.&rdquo;
The Sixers ran off 11 in a row, including four by Embiid and a 3-pointer by <a href="https://www.nba.com/watch/video/georges-niang-9-points-highlights-vs-la-clippers?plsrc=nba&amp;game-highlights=0022200668">Georges Niang</a>, that extended their lead to 115-98.
&ldquo;That stretch was huge,&rdquo; Harris said.
Kawhi Leonard scored 27 points to lead the Clippers. Paul George had 13 points and eight rebounds in his return after missing five in a row because of right hamstring soreness. They've lost eight of 10.
Leonard and George combined to score 12 of the Clippers' first 19 points to open the third. Marcus Morris' jumper tied the game at 71-all while the Clippers' defense got stops.
The Clippers took their first lead of the game, 79-78, on Ivica Zubac's hook over Embiid. On their next possession, Terance Mann scored over Embiid.
Leonard scored four in a row before the 76ers led 90-89 on a pair of free throws by Maxey going into the fourth.
With Embiid and James Harden on the bench, the Sixers ran off seven straight points to open the second and lead 41-27.
The Clippers rallied to get within five, but Embiid scored 15 points over the final 7:13, capped by a 3-pointer, to keep the Sixers ahead 65-52 at halftime.
TIP-INS
76ers: Embiid notched his NBA-leading sixth straight game with at least 30 points. He had 35 points and 11 rebounds against the Lakers on Sunday. ... Harden's streak of six straight games with double figures in points and assists ended. He finished with six points and nine assists. ... Improved to 23-1 when leading after three quarters, second-best record in the league. ... Shot 59% in first half (23 of 39).
Clippers: John Wall (abdominal soreness) is out indefinitely and Luke Kennard (right calf soreness) sat out his sixth straight game.
&nbsp;

Joel Embiid finished with 41 points and the 76ers recovered after blowing a 14-point lead to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 120-110.

Embiid scores 41, 76ers dominate Clippers in 120-110 victory

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; LeBron James became the second player in NBA history to score 38,000 career points, but Joel Embiid had 35 points and 11 rebounds while the Philadelphia 76ers held off the Los Angeles Lakers 113-112 Sunday night for their seventh win in nine games.
Russell Westbrook failed to get off a clean shot or a pass in the final second under defense from Embiid, allowing the 76ers to hold on for their fourth straight road win. Westbrook claimed he was fouled by Embiid, who disagreed.
James put up 35 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds for the depleted Lakers, who have lost three straight after a five-game winning streak. James surpassed 38,000 points with a jumper that was part of his 8-for-9 start with 16 points in the first quarter.
&ldquo;It's just frustrating to get into those positions and not be able to come out with the victory,&rdquo; James said. &ldquo;We got the stop, gave ourselves a chance to win, and didn't execute. ... We're playing good basketball. We're just not winning games.&rdquo;
James Harden added 24 points and 13 assists for Philadelphia, which swept the season series and beat Los Angeles for the sixth straight time.
&ldquo;Wasn't one of our better games, especially defensively,&rdquo; 76ers coach Doc Rivers said. &ldquo;We had no pace. We were tired. As a coach, you're saying, &lsquo;Let&rsquo;s just get to the fourth quarter and see if we can win it.'&rdquo;
Georges Niang hit a 3-pointer on an assist from Embiid with 1:28 left to put Philadelphia up 111-109. A lengthy video review then overruled a call and resulted in a turnover for James before Embiid drained a 14-foot jumper with 45 seconds left.
Troy Brown Jr. hit a corner 3-pointer to trim Philly's lead to one point, and Embiid missed a jumper with Westbrook in his face.
The Lakers didn't called timeout as Westbrook drove to the hoop with a chance to win it. He couldn't get off a shot or a pass, with an apparent crosscourt pass attempt deflecting off Niang's hands before time ran out.
&ldquo;(Embiid) was grabbing my wrist,&rdquo; Westbrook said. &ldquo;I couldn't get my hand up to shoot. ... Couldn't get the ball up. It's frustrating, but I know the game didn't come down to that one shot.&rdquo;
Embiid disagreed with Westbrook's claim about the final possession.
&ldquo;I don't think I fouled him,&rdquo; Embiid said. &ldquo;Physical play on both sides. You could've called a foul on the other end, too. He was unlucky because he lost the ball. I would say he was unlucky.&rdquo;
Westbrook had 20 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists, extending his NBA record with his 198th career triple-double. Westbrook has four triple-doubles off the bench this season, putting him past Detlef Schrempf for the career record for triple-doubles as a reserve.
38K
James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are the only members of the NBA&rsquo;s 38,000-point club, and James will pass Abdul-Jabbar (38,387 points) atop the career scoring list next month if he remains on his current pace. James didn't want to talk about the milestone afterward.
TIP-INS
76ers: Rivers used Embiid and the mildly ailing Harden (left heel) and Tobias Harris (left knee) even on the second night of a back-to-back that began in Utah. ... De'Anthony Melton, the San Fernando Valley native and USC product, went scoreless in 21 minutes.
Lakers: Anthony Davis has now been out for a month, missing his 15th straight game with a foot injury. ... The Lakers used their 24th different starting lineup this season. ... Patrick Beverley (illness) missed his second straight game. Lonnie Walker (knee) and Austin Reaves (hamstring) are still out.
&nbsp;

Joel Embiid had 35 points and 11 rebounds while the Philadelphia 76ers held off the Los Angeles Lakers 113-112.

LeBron hits 38K, but Embiid leads 76ers past Lakers 113-112

PHILADELPHIA (AP) &mdash; Joel Embiid had 42 points and 11 rebounds, James Harden scored 27 and the Philadelphia 76ers beat a New Orleans Pelicans team that lost Zion Williamson to a strained right hamstring, 120-111 on Monday night.
Williamson scored 26 points on 10-of-12 shooting through three quarters before he left for the locker room in the fourth. Williamson pulled up on a fastbreak and handed off the ball late in the third. Williamson, averaging 26 points, gingerly ran to the corner and lingered on the court for a bit before he was lifted from the game. Williamson&rsquo;s career has been defined by injuries and dominance, notably a career-best 42 points last week against Minnesota.
There was no immediate word if Williamson would miss any time.
Without Williamson, the Pelicans couldn&rsquo;t keep up with the 76ers.
Embiid pushed the lead in the fourth on a driving, crashing layup and spun around like a top on his rear end for dramatic effect. He sank the free throw for a 106-96 lead. He did walk gingerly to the bench moment later but stayed in the game.
De&rsquo;Anthony Melton buried a 3 for the 76ers for a 113-107 lead and Harden came right back and hit another 3 to seal their 10th straight home win.
It&rsquo;s a shame for NBA fans the teams don&rsquo;t each other again this season. CJ McCollum hit a franchise-best 11 3s and Williamson added 36 in the Pelicans&rsquo; 127-116 home victory on Friday night. It was the second banger in four nights, only this time in Philly.
McCollum scored 26 points.
Williamson, Harden and Embiid all put on a show through the first three quarters. Even 76ers reserve Georges Niang hit five 3s off the bench to get the home crowd roaring as the public address announcer bellowed &ldquo;Bang, bang, Niang!&rdquo;
Embiid, playing with a sore lower back, continued his pursuit of a second straight scoring title with 15-of-24 shooting and he made all 10 free throws. Harden was crafty in the second quarter when he scored 10 points on and-1s. He had a four-point play in that run and two three-point plays, including a layup that saw him scoot past the stanchion and high-five fans.
TIP-INS
Pelicans: Coach Willie Green spent the first seven seasons of his playing career with the Sixers. The Sixers weren&rsquo;t all that good during Green&rsquo;s tenure but he deeply appreciated playing with Hall of Famer Allen Iverson.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s only one AI. He had a way with people,&rdquo; Green said. &ldquo;He had a big heart. Sometimes that could be misunderstood. We all loved him as teammates.&rdquo;
76ers: G Tyrese Maxey, normally a starter, received a rousing ovation when he checked in late in the first quarter. Maxey had 12 points as the Sixers ease back in the lineup after he missed six weeks with a broken foot.
&nbsp;

Joel Embiid had 42 points and 11 rebounds, and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the New Orleans Pelicans 120-111.

Embiid leads 76ers past Pelicans, Williamson hurts hamstring

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Joel Embiid scored 35 points, James Harden had 29 points and 13 assists and the Philadelphia 76ers blew by the New York Knicks in the final quarter, extending their winning streak to eight games with a 119-112 victory Sunday.
Georges Niang hit four 3-pointers in Philadelphia's fourth-quarter surge and finished with 16 points, while De&rsquo;Anthony Melton added 15 as the 76ers got off to a good start on a four-game road trip after sweeping a seven-game homestand.
The Sixers never led through three quarters, then outscored the Knicks 24-9 to open the fourth, turning a one-point deficit into a 116-102 lead.
Julius Randle scored 35 points and Jalen Brunson had 23 points and 11 assists for the Knicks, who have lost three straight following an eight-game winning streak.
Embiid scored 15 points in the third quarter and Harden took over the game when Embiid went to the bench, with a four-point play and another 3-pointer that trimmed it to 96-95. He made another 3 in the opening minute of the fourth to tie it at 98, then found Niang for a 3 that gave the 76ers their first lead with 10:37 to play.
Niang hit consecutive 3s midway through the period before Embiid had two baskets and Harden made one and set up the other in a 8-0 flurry that put it away at 116-102.
Embiid, the NBA's scoring leader, started slowly and the Knicks led 37-25 after one. They were still up eight when Embiid scored with 6.2 seconds remaining, and when Brunson lost the ball as New York tried to get a final shot, Shake Milton scooped it up and banked in a 50-footer at the buzzer that made it 63-60.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
SHAKE MILTON TO END THE HALF 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/rlU9Uniplr">pic.twitter.com/rlU9Uniplr</a>
&mdash; NBA TV (@NBATV) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV/status/1607077323677007872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

TIP-INS
76ers: Coach Doc Rivers said PJ Tucker had some kind of pain or injury that was affecting his hand, but he wasn't worried about it yet. ... Rivers said the 76ers brought two busloads of families to the game.
Knicks: The Knicks fell to 23-32 in their league-high 55 Christmas appearance. ... The Knicks played their final home game of 2022. They take a three-game road trip to Texas next week that begins with Brunson's return to Dallas on Tuesday.
60-POINT PERFORMERS
Bernard King, who set the Christmas record with 60 points in 1984, was at the game. That stood as the Knicks' single-game scoring record until a 62-point performance on Jan. 24, 2014, by Carmelo Anthony, the former All-Star who was seated next to him and <a href="https://twitter.com/nyknicks/status/1607065947625373696?s=20&amp;t=cPUVMFL83z5QRNzSZX83Ag">got a huge ovation</a> when shown on the overhead videoboard in the first quarter.
UP NEXT
76ers: At Washington on Tuesday.
Knicks: At Dallas on Tuesday.

Joel Embiid scored 35 points, James Harden had 29 points and 13 assists and the 76ers blew by the Knicks 119-112 on Sunday.

Embiid, Harden help 76ers blow by Knicks to win 8th straight

PHILADELPHIA (AP) &mdash; Joel Embiid had 22 points and 10 rebounds and the Philadelphia 76ers used a balanced scoring attack to extend their winning streak to six games with a 113-93 win over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night.
&ldquo;We like to work together,&rdquo; Embiid said. &ldquo;We think we have a top two, top three defense in the league. Offensively, I think we're finding ways even when we're not making shots up there. We just have come together and everyone is understanding their role.&rdquo;
Tobias Harris had 17 points, despite early foul trouble, and James Harden added 15 points and eight assists for the Sixers. Philadelphia got double-figure scoring from six players, including De'Anthony Melton (12), Georges Niang (11) and Montrezl Harrell (10).
&ldquo;We're just staying focused and locked into the goal, which is stringing together a few wins,&rdquo; Harris said.
The Sixers' six-game winning streak is their longest since a seven-game run from Dec. 26-Jan 10 in the 2021-22 season. Philadelphia has won eight straight games at home after starting the season 5-5 in their own building.
&ldquo;We're playing well, but we have a lot of work to do,&rdquo; Sixers head coach Doc Rivers said.
Detroit was led by Jaden Ivey, who followed up his career-best 30 points on Tuesday night with 16 points. Killian Hayes scored 12 and Saddiq Bey 11 for the Pistons, who have lost seven of their last eight games.
&ldquo;We kept shooting ourselves in the foot and we didn't take good care of the basketball,&rdquo; Pistons head coach Dwane Casey said. &ldquo;Down the stretch, we couldn't cut into it, but we couldn't close it.&rdquo;
Philadelphia overcame some offensive struggles with defensive stinginess. The 76ers forced 22 turnovers and held the Pistons to 32.1% shooting from the floor in the third quarter. That allowed the Sixers to weather an offensive drought and maintain a double-digit lead.
It also allowed Rivers to give some of his starters a much needed breather. Even during this six-game winning streak, most of the Sixers starters have been forced to go deep minutes. Two of the previous five wins in the streak &mdash; against the Lakers and Raptors &mdash; featured overtime games after Philadelphia had held a sizable lead.
Embiid played 34 minutes. Harden totaled 32 minutes. Harris and PJ Tucker (10 rebounds with no points) were on the floor for only 21 minutes.
&ldquo;We want to get to the point where we know we have the game in the fourth quarter,&rdquo; Harris said. &ldquo;We know we're going to play great teams where this is not going to be the case. But as a group, we know the teams we should know to have a lead and maintain a lead to have comfort in the fourth quarter to get guys less minutes.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Pistons: Hayes started for Detroit despite being labeled as a game-time decision with a left knee contusion. ... Detroit has lost nine straight at Wells Fargo Center, dating to March 4, 2017. ... Jalen Duren had his streak of seven straight games with 11 or more rebounds snapped. It was tied with Dwight Howard for the longest in NBA history by a rookie.
76ers: Furkan Korkmaz, who has missed the last two games with a non-COVID illness, returned to the Philadelphia bench and was available Wednesday night, playing late in the contest, when the game was secure. ... There is still no timeline on Tyrese Maxey's possible return. Maxey, the Sixers' No. 3 scorer from the guard position, has missed the last 15 games due to a fracture in his foot.
&nbsp;

Joel Embiid had 22 points and 10 rebounds and the 76ers extended their winning streak to six games with a 113-93 win over the Pistons.

Embiid leads balanced attack, 76ers beat Pistons, 113-93

PHILADELPHIA (AP) &mdash; Joel Embiid had 53 points and 11 rebounds, leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a 131-113 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday night.
With the home crowd serenading him with MVP! chants, Embiid became the first player in the NBA this season to post two 50-plus point performances, adding Sunday's performance to a league-best 59-point effort on Nov. 13 against Utah.
&ldquo;The ball just found me,&rdquo; Embiid said. &ldquo;I thought we moved the ball well all night and the ball just found me.&rdquo;
Embiid became the third player in Sixers history to have multiple 50-point games in the same season, joining Allen Iverson (2000-01 and 2004-05) and Wilt Chamberlain (1965-66 and 1967-68). It is also the 30th game in Embiid's career with 40 points and 10 rebounds. The only other player in franchise history to accomplish that feat was Chamberlain.
&ldquo;We won,&rdquo; Embiid said. &ldquo;It's good to do that when you win. ... I'm just happy that I'm contributing when we are winning.&rdquo;
James Harden had 19 points, 16 assists, and nine rebounds to help Embiid's effort.
&ldquo;He was in attack mode for the entire game,&rdquo; Harden said. &ldquo;He made scoring look easy tonight. He was aggressive getting to the basket and his jumper was falling.&rdquo;
Tobias Harris scored 17 points and De'Anthony Melton added 12 for Philadelphia, which shot 55.4%.
&ldquo;We didn't run, but we played with pace and got open shots,&rdquo; Sixers coach Doc Rivers said.
Charlotte was led by Kelly Oubre Jr. and Terry Rozier, who each scored 29 points. The Hornets have lost five straight games.
&ldquo;We had good intent tonight,&rdquo; Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. &ldquo;The first six or seven minutes of the game, we had good defense. Our transition defense was a problem tonight and we have to fix that. Besides Joel, that was the story of the first half. But we did a lot of good things."
Embiid took the game over in the final three minutes of the second quarter, scoring 15 of his 28 first-half points in that stretch by exploiting a mismatch against Hornets forward Mason Plumlee. On one play, Embiid drove down the left side of the lane from the foul line, extended high over Plumlee and threw down a thunderous dunk that charged up the Wells Fargo Center crowd. It was part of a three straight possessions stretch that ended with Embiid scoring and going to the line for the old-fashioned 3-point play.
&ldquo;We have a saying that you have to feed the hot hand,&rdquo; Embiid said. &ldquo;... You got to keep feeding them until the defense stops it once or twice or three times in that situation. I just kept scoring and they just kept giving me the ball.&rdquo;
The Hornets (7-20) stayed within striking distance through the early part of the fourth quarter, thanks to Oubre and Rozier, who were able to drive the lane and get easy looks while being helped by 15 offensive rebounds.
But Embiid put the game out of reach by scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter before being pulled with two minutes left. He finished 20 for 32 from the field and hit all 11 of his free throws.
TIP-INS
Hornets: LaMelo Ball missed his 11th straight game with a left ankle sprain. ... Dennis Smith Jr. was inactive for the ninth time in his last 14 games with a left ankle sprain. ... There was a moment of silence before Sunday's game for Paul Silas, the former Charlotte coach for six seasons who died at the age of 79.
76ers: Foward Georges Niang returned Sunday after missing the last two games due to a right foot bruised. Danuel House Jr. was not available with a left foot laceration.
UP NEXT 
Hornets: Host Detroit on Wednesday.
76ers: Continue their seven-game home stand against Sacramento on Tuesday.

Joel Embiid had 53 points and 11 rebounds, leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a 131-113 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday night.

Joel Embiid scores 53, leads 76ers to 131-113 win over Hornets

HOUSTON (AP) &mdash; Jalen Green scored 27 points and Kevin Porter Jr. added 24 to lead the Houston Rockets to a 132-123 double-overtime victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night as James Harden struggled through his return from injury.
Harden had 21 points but shot 4 for 19 from the field in his first game since Nov. 2. Coach Doc Rivers said Harden, who spent just more than eight seasons with the Rockets before being traded to Brooklyn in January 2021, would be on a minutes restriction in his return. But Harden didn&rsquo;t seem to be limited much, and played 39 minutes.
He had missed 14 games with a tendon strain in his right foot. He missed all eight attempts inside the 3-point arc but still got to the line like he always does and made 9 of 10 free throws.
Houston opened the second overtime with consecutive 3-pointers by Eric Gordon and Porter. P.J. Tucker then scored his first points of the game on a long 2 that cut the lead to 123-119.
Porter made two free throws before Harden got Philadelphia within 125-122 with a 3-pointer with about 90 seconds left. But rookie Jabari Smith Jr. added a 3 for Houston to extend the lead to six a few seconds later and Houston held on for the win.
Joel Embiid had 39 points before fouling out late in the first overtime and Tobias Harris added 27 as the Sixers dropped their third straight.
Harden won the MVP award with the Rockets in 2018 and was a three-time scoring champion in his time in Houston. He received a warm welcome from the crowd when he was announced before the game.
Gordon grabbed a steal on a bad pass by Embiid to give the Rockets the ball with 7.5 seconds left in the first OT trailing by one. Embiid fouled out when he knocked down Porter as he drove to the basket after that. The Sixers challenged the foul call, but it was unsuccessful.
Porter made the first free throw to tie it but missed the second and De&rsquo;Anthony Melton grabbed the rebound, but Harden missed a 3 to send it to the second OT.
The game was tied late in the fourth quarter when Porter blocked a 3 by Harden. Melton grabbed the offensive rebound but lost the ball out of bounds to give the Rockets the ball back with 3 seconds left.
Green had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but his 3-point attempt clanged off the rim.
There were 61 fouls in this game and the teams combined to shoot 80 free throws. Houston made 34 of 44 and Philadelphia was 28 of 36.
TIP-INS
Sixers: Jalen Springer missed an eighth straight game with a strained right quadriceps. &hellip; Georges Niang sat out with a sore right foot.
Rockets: Kenyon Martin Jr. scored 12 points off the bench. &hellip; Gordon had 14 points. &hellip; Tari Eason had 18 points and six rebounds.
UP NEXT
Sixers: Open a seven-game homestand Friday night against the Lakers.
Rockets: Visit San Antonio Thursday night.

Jalen Green scored 27 points and Kevin Porter Jr. added 24 to lead the Rockets to a 132-123 double-OT win in James Harden's return.

Rockets outlast 76ers in 2 OTs; Harden 4 for 19 in return

PHILADELPHIA (AP) &mdash; Joel Embiid won one for the 76ers in 60 seconds.
Embiid scored seven of his 30 points in the final minute, including a <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1597418146251800578">go-ahead 14-footer</a> with 18.6 seconds left, and led Philadelphia past the Atlanta Hawks 104-101 in his return from a sprained left foot on Monday night.
&ldquo;You want to be able to make the last plays so your team wins,&rdquo; Embiid said.
He made them all at the end.
Embiid showed why he is so valuable to the Sixers when he twisted inside for a bucket with 56 seconds remaining that pulled the Sixers within 100-99. The Sixers forced a shot clock violation with 31 seconds left and that's when their All-Star center went to work for his biggest plays of the night.
The Hawks still had a chance after Embiid's big shot put Philly ahead 101-100. Embiid busted up Trae Young's lob pass in the paint to cut off a potential go-ahead score. Embiid then made three of four free throws in the last few seconds as the crowd roared &ldquo;MVP! MVP!&rdquo; for Philly's favorite player.
&ldquo;Whenever I was needed, that's when I felt like I needed to turn it on,&rdquo; Embiid said.
Tobias Harris scored 24 points and Shake Milton had 21 for the Sixers.
Young and De'Andre Hunter led the Hawks with 18 points apiece.
Embiid missed the last four games with his foot injury and the Sixers didn&rsquo;t miss a step. They went 3-1 over that span with James Harden and Tyrese Maxey also still out with foot injuries while players such as Milton and Paul Reed lifted them in big moments. That wasn't lost on Embiid.
&ldquo;I came in with the mindset to get my teammates involved,&rdquo; Embiid said. &ldquo;Everyone had played so well, I just wanted to keep that going.&rdquo;
The 76ers clearly need their big man. The 76ers can only hope they wins will keep coming with Harden and Maxey soon due to return.
&ldquo;Can we play the same way when everybody&rsquo;s back? That will be the key for us,&rdquo; 76ers coach Doc Rivers said.
Embiid went 9 of 18 from the floor, sank 12 of 13 free throws and had eight rebounds and seven assists in 35 minutes.
&ldquo;His ability to take over games, especially in the fourth quarter, has been huge for us,&rdquo; Harris said. &ldquo;We'd have loved to have him back earlier. It was good to have him back tonight.&rdquo;
The reigning NBA scoring champion, Embiid needed some time to warm up. He missed his first four shots before sinking one in the second quarter but still finished with 14 points at the break.
The Sixers, winners at Orlando a night earlier, kept feeding Embiid and he got his groove back. He converted a three-point play in the third that tied the game at 75-all and brought the Sixers back from 16 down. Georges Niang and AJ Griffin swapped 3s that made it 80-80.
&ldquo;Someone&rsquo;s going to win this ugly game,&rdquo; Rivers said he thought on the sideline. &ldquo;Let it be us.&rdquo;
It was the Sixers, in part because of the contributions again from players making the most of their opportunities of late.
Milton&rsquo;s playing time expanded as the Sixers became riddled with injuries. He entered this season averaging 9.7 points and then scored at least 22 in four of the last five games. He shook off a 3-of-10 start in the first half to go 5 of 8 for 11 points in the third. Milton and Harris knocked down key shots that pecked at the Hawks' double-digit lead.
&ldquo;They made timely baskets,&rdquo; Hawks coach Nate McMillan said. &ldquo;We were making a run or we were able to get a lead, they made timely baskets to keep it close.&rdquo;
INJURIES
Hawks: Jalen Johnson (right ankle soreness) and Bogdan Bogdanovic (right knee injury recovery) missed the game.
TURNOVER BATTLE
Young's late turnover was one of 20 by the Hawks that led to 19 Sixers points. The Hawks had seven turnovers in the fourth quarter, three by Dejounte Murray.
&ldquo;That's where the execution comes in,&rdquo; McMillan said. &ldquo;We had a couple of costly turnovers late in the game.&rdquo;
UP NEXT
Hawks: Play Wednesday at Orlando.
76ers: Play Wednesday at Cleveland.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Embiid scored 7 of his 30 points in the last minute, including a go-ahead 14-footer with 18 seconds to lead the 76ers past the Hawks.

Embiid returns from injury, powers 76ers past Hawks 104-101

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Shake Milton had 24 points, a career-high 10 assists and nine rebounds, and the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers beat the Orlando Magic 107-99 on Friday night.
Tobias Harris added 23 points for Philadelphia, and reserve Georges Niang made five 3-pointers on his way to 18 points. It was the Sixers&rsquo; ninth straight win against the Magic.
&ldquo;Georges is a one-man culture-changer, and he comes in with that positive attitude and he has such a great feel for the game of basketball,&rdquo; Harris said of Niang. &ldquo;He knows how to play basketball the right way. He&rsquo;s been amazing for our whole team.&rdquo;
Despite playing without injured stars Joel Embiid and James Harden and blossoming guard Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia shook off a slow start and outscored Orlando 30-20 in the game-changing third quarter. The 76ers made 11 of 21 shots with four 3-pointers in the third.
Milton led the turnaround in the second half with 12 points and six assists after intermission.
Orlando closed to 96-91 and 103-98 late in the fourth, but the Sixers stayed in control with clutch play down the stretch.
&ldquo;For us, it&rsquo;s just an energy thing and it&rsquo;s contagious,&rdquo; Milton said. &ldquo;(Georges) hits a big 3 and then Tobias does too, and it&rsquo;s a momentum thing. With us being down as many players as we are, we need those loose-ball plays to get us going.&rdquo;
The Sixers improved to 9-1 this season when leading after three periods. Philadelphia also broke a two-game road losing streak and evened its road record at 4-4.
Franz Wagner scored 24 points for Orlando, and Bol Bol had 18 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots. The Magic haven&rsquo;t beaten the Sixers since Dec. 27, 2019.
Magic forward Paolo Banchero, one of the NBA&rsquo;s top rookies, played for the first time since Nov. 7 after missing seven games with a sprained left ankle. He finished with 19 points, four rebounds and three assists in 36 minutes.
Orlando has dropped three straight and five of six overall.
&ldquo;They had some key offensive rebounds and they hit some timely shots,&rdquo; Wagner said. &ldquo;Overall, our energy and toughness haven&rsquo;t shown in some of those key moments. That was the key moment &ndash; us reacting to what they were doing.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
76ers: P.J. Tucker, who defended Banchero well in the first half, didn&rsquo;t played in the fourth quarter because of ankle soreness. ... Harden has missed six straight games with a right foot tendon strain. Maxey has missed four in a row because of a fractured left foot. Embiid has missed three straight with a left foot sprain. ... The 76ers are in a stretch of six road games in a seven-game span.
Magic: Coach Jamahl Mosley sponsored a Thanksgiving breakfast for more than 400 people at the Coalition of the Homeless on Thursday. It was the 30th consecutive year of the Magic hosting such an event on the holiday. ... All four Orlando-Philadelphia games this season are being played in the home-home schedule option. Orlando goes to Philadelphia on Jan. 30 and Feb. 1. ... With Wendell Carter Jr. (plantar fasciitis) still out, the Magic started the 7-foot-2 Bol at power forward alongside 7-foot center Mo Bamba. &hellip; Moritz Wagner, who had been out since Oct. 14 with a mid-foot sprain, made his season debut.
UP NEXT
The teams meet again Sunday in Orlando.

Shake Milton had 24 points, a career-high 10 assists and 9 rebounds, and the short-handed 76ers beat the Magic 107-99.