CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Joel Embiid had a season-high 43 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists, and the Philadelphia 76ers held off the short-handed Charlotte Hornets 127-124 in overtime on Monday night in the NBA.
Tobias Harris returned from a one-game absence due to illness and had 21 points and 11 rebounds as the 76ers shot 52.9% from the field and earned back-to-back wins for the first time since November 4-6.
Kelly Oubre Jr. had 35 points with six 3-pointers for the Hornets, but missed a three at the end of the first overtime that would have tied the game and sent it to a second extra period.
Charlotte played without five players, including starters Lamelo Ball, Terry Rozier and Mason Plumlee because of NBA health and safety protocols.
Embiid had six of Philadelphia’s eight points in overtime.
The Hornets, who played only eight players, were 2 of 9 from the field in overtime.
THUNDER 114, PISTONS 103
DETROIT (AP) — Shea Gilgeous-Alexander had 30 points and 13 assists, Luguentz Dort scored 28 points and Oklahoma City Thunder rallied past Detroit Pistons in a battle of teams that entered with eight-game losing streaks.
Detroit led by 16 in the third quarter and 12 early in the fourth, but the Pistons were outscored 25-8 in the final five minutes of their ninth straight loss.
Cade Cunningham had 28 points and 11 rebounds for the Pistons, while Jeremi Grant added 20 points.
SUNS 108, SPURS 104
PHOENIX (AP) — Chris Paul had 21 points and 10 assists, Jae Crowder added a season-high 19 points and Phoenix Suns beat San Antonio Spurs to reach the 20-win mark.
Phoenix were playing their first game since having their franchise-record 18-game winning streak snapped against Golden State on Friday. The Suns didn’t appear fazed by the setback and won for the 19th time in 20 games dating to October 27.
The Spurs had their four-game winning streak snapped. All five San Antonio starters scored in double figures, led by Dejounte Murray’s 17 points. Bryn Forbes added 15 points off the bench.
WARRIORS 126, MAGIC 95
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Curry had 31 points and eight assists, Andrew Wiggins made a career-high eight 3-pointers on the way to 28 points, and Golden State Warriors beat Orlando Magic.
Wiggins scored 17 of his points in the third quarter, knocking down three straight 3s over a span of 1:14. He finished nine of 17 from the floor to help Golden State bounce back from having their 11-game home winning streak snapped in a loss Saturday to San Antonio. Jordan Poole added 12 points, seven assists and seven rebounds.
Gary Harris scored 17 points to lead the Magic, who lost for the ninth time in 10 games. Wendell Carter Jr. added 14 points and 12 rebounds.
CLIPPERS 102, TRAIL BLAZERS 90
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Paul George scored 21 points and Los Angeles Clippers handed short-handed Portland Trail Blazers their third straight loss.
Marcus Morris Jr. added 17 points and Luke Kennard, making his first start for the Clippers this season, finished with 15. Los Angeles had lost four of their previous five games.
Jusuf Nurkic had a season-high 31 points for Portland, and Norman Powell finished with a season-best 29.
The Blazers were without All-Star guard Damian Lillard for the fourth game because of an abdomen injury. Backup point guard Anfernee Simons was out because of a sprained right ankle. Star guard CJ McCollum was a game-time decision but did not play because of a rib contusion.
GRIZZLIES 105, HEAT 90
MIAMI (AP) — Dillon Brooks and Desmond Bane scored 21 points each, and surging Memphis Grizzlies beat Miami Heat.
The win was Memphis’ fifth straight without leading scorer Ja Morant, who hurt his left knee against Atlanta on November 26. The Grizzlies have not trailed during their streak.
All five Grizzlies’ starters finished in double figures. Steven Adams had 17 points and 16 rebounds, while Tyus Jones and Jaren Jackson scored 14 points each.
Miami’s Jimmy Butler returned from a four-game absence because of a bruised tailbone and scored 10 points before leaving for the locker room midway through the third quarter. He didn’t return.
Tyler Herro had 24 points and Kyle Lowry finished with 17 points for the Heat, who have lost four of five and three straight at home.
BULLS 109, NUGGETS 97
CHICAGO (AP) — Zach LaVine scored 32 points as Chicago Bulls beat Denver Nuggets and moved into a tie with Brooklyn Nets atop the Eastern Conference.
The Bulls took a big hit a few hours before tipoff when leading scorer DeMar DeRozan entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
Lonzo Ball and Nikola Vucevic each had 20 points and 10 rebounds, and all five starters scored in double figures for Chicago.
The Nuggets lost for the eighth time in 10 games despite a triple-double by Nikola Jokic. The reigning MVP finished with 17 points, 12 rebounds and a season-high 15 assists. Will Barton and Monte Morris each scored 19 points. Aaron Gordon added 18 points.
BUCKS 112, CAVALIERS 104
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo came back from a two-game absence and scored 27 points on his 27th birthday to help Milwaukee Bucks defeat Cleveland Cavaliers.
The two-time MVP also had 12 rebounds in his return from a sore right calf as the Bucks won for the 10th time in 11 games.
Jrue Holiday had 20 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Khris Middleton provided 21 points and eight assists. Pat Connaughton scored 12, and Bobby Portis had 10 points and 16 rebounds.
Jarrett Allen led the Cavaliers with 25 points and nine rebounds on 10-for-12 shooting. Lauri Markkanen scored 20, Kevin Love 15, Evan Mobley 12 and Darius Garland 10.
HAWKS 121, TIMBERWOLVES 110
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Trae Young had 29 points and 11 assists, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot scored 23 points and short-handed Atlanta Hawks beat Minnesota Timberwovles.
Danilo Gallinari scored 20 points off the bench for Atlanta, which were without injured wings Cam Reddish, Bogdan Bogdanovich, Solomon Hill and De’Andre Hunter.
Luwawu-Cabarrot had a career-high seven 3-pointers, shooting 7 of 14 as the Hawks set season highs with 25 makes and 49 attempts from beyond the arc.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 31 points and 16 rebounds for Minnesota in his return after missing one game with a tailbone contusion. Anthony Edwards added 20 points for the Wolves, who were also short-handed without starting guards D’Angelo Russell and Patrick Beverly. Michael Beasley scored all 24 of his points in the second half for the Wolves.
PACERS 116, WIZARDS 110
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Domantas Sabonis finished with 30 points, 10 rebounds and six assists to help Indiana Pacers snap a four-game losing streak with a win over Washington Wizards.
Caris LeVert had 19 points and Malcolm Brogdon added 17 points and eight assists for the Pacers, who had lost five straight in the series, including last season’s play-in round game.
Three-time All-Star guard Bradley Beal scored 34 points to lead the Wizards, who have lost three straight and four of five. Beal appeared to hurt his left shoulder early in the fourth quarter during a tussle for a loose ball but returned following a timeout and finished the game.
Washington were doomed by its sloppy play early in the second game of a back-to-back.