CHICAGO (AP) — Joel Embiid dominated with 40 points and 10 rebounds and the Philadelphia 76ers overcame DeMar DeRozan’s season-high, 45-point game for Chicago to beat the Bulls 119-108 on Sunday.
The 76ers won the matchup between two of the Eastern Conference’s top teams after letting a 17-point lead early in the fourth quarter shrink to four.
They hung on down the stretch to beat the Bulls for the 10th straight time. They also knocked Chicago a half-game behind first-place Miami and pulled within 1 1/2 games of the idle Heat. With the 76ers’ victory, Miami clinched the best record in the East through Sunday, sending Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and his staff to the All-Star Game in Cleveland to coach Team Durant.
Embiid simply did what he wanted, hitting 14 of 23 shots.
Tobias Harris added 23 points, and Tyrese Maxey had 16, helping the Sixers shake off losses against Washington and Dallas to win for the sixth time in eight games.
DeRozan finished seven points shy of his career high. The All-Star carried Chicago with Zach LaVine (back spasms) and guard Coby White (strained right adductor) sidelined.
NUGGETS 124, NETS 104
DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 27 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his NBA-leading 14th triple-double of the season and Denver handed short-handed Brooklyn its eighth straight loss.
Will Barton had 21 points and Aaron Gordon had 17 points and nine rebounds in his return from a two-game absence to help Denver end a three-game skid.
Kyrie Irving had with 27 points and 11 assists for Brooklyn.
Nets guard James Harden missed his second straight game with left hamstring tightness. Brooklyn coach Steve Nash was asked before the game if it’s accurate the team won’t trade Harden before Thursday’s deadline and gave a definitive answer. “Yes, that’s correct,” he said.
TIMBERWOLVES 118, PISTONS 105
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns had 24 points and 12 rebounds and Minnesota beat Detroit for its fourth straight victory.
D’Angelo Russell returned with 22 points and eight assists after missing four games because of a left shin contusion. Michael Beasley had 20 points off the bench.
Saddiq Bey scored 24 points for Detroit. The Pistons have lost eight of nine.
By The Associated Press