Joel Embiid came back from a seven-game absence to score 31 points and grab 12 rebounds, leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a 108-100 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday afternoon. Embiid’s performance helped the 76ers win four out of their last five games after he missed time due to a left knee injury. Tyrese Maxey contributed with his first career triple-double, recording 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 14 assists.
Zach LaVine scored 30 points for the Bulls, who made 19 three-pointers, but still lost their second consecutive game. Nikola Vucevic and Coby White each scored 13 points, with Vucevic also grabbing eight rebounds.
The Bulls were down by 19 points early in the second half but fought back in the third quarter, closing it with an 8-0 run. Jalen Smith hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to make it 88-79 as they entered the final period. The Bulls closed the gap to just four points when LaVine hit a three with 5:24 left, bringing the score to 96-92, but that was as close as they would get.
Nuggets 141, Hawks 111
Nikola Jokic scored 48 points to help Denver beat Atlanta, ending the Hawks’ six-game win streak. Jokic shot 17-for-29 from the field, also collecting 14 rebounds and eight assists.
After scoring a career-high 56 points against Washington on Saturday, Jokic had 13 points in the first quarter and 25 by halftime. Michael Porter Jr. added 26 points and seven rebounds. Atlanta’s De’Andre Hunter scored 20 points, and Dyson Daniels had 18 points and five steals.
Denver Nuggets and Atlanta Hawks
Spurs 121, Pelicans 116
Victor Wembanyama scored 25 points, including the last seven for San Antonio in the final 36.9 seconds, leading the Spurs to a win over New Orleans. Chris Paul added 10 assists to move past Jason Kidd for second place on the all-time assists list with 12,099 assists, behind only John Stockton.
Trey Murphy III led the Pelicans with 25 points, and CJ McCollum added 19. Dejounte Murray had 18 points and 11 assists, while Yves Missi grabbed 18 points and 14 rebounds. New Orleans has lost two straight and 11 of their last 12 games.
Bucks 118, Nets 113
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 34 points as Milwaukee came from behind to beat Brooklyn in New York. Bobby Portis added 23 points, 12 of them coming in the fourth quarter, including a crucial 3-pointer that gave the Bucks a 109-108 lead with 2:08 left. Portis made 9 of 10 shots and was 5-for-5 from three.
Dennis Schroder had a season-high 34 points and 11 assists for the Nets, but they lost their fourth game in five outings, squandering a 12-point lead.
Hornets 113, Pacers 109
Brandon Miller scored 26 points as Charlotte ended an eight-game losing streak by defeating Indiana in Indianapolis. Vasilije Micic had 18 points and nine assists, while Cody Martin contributed 14 points. Nick Richards added nine points and 14 rebounds for the Hornets.
T.J. McConnell came off the bench for Indiana to score a career-high 30 points, and Jarace Walker added 15 points.
Charlotte Hornets and Indiana Pacers
Heat 122, Cavaliers 113
Tyler Herro scored 19 of his 34 points in the third quarter to lead Miami to a victory over Cleveland. Duncan Robinson added 23 points, Jimmy Butler finished with 18, and Bam Adebayo contributed 16 points and 13 rebounds.
Darius Garland scored 23 points for Cleveland, and Donovan Mitchell, who averages 24.2 points per game, only managed 12 points on 5-for-16 shooting.
Magic 115, Suns 110
Jalen Suggs scored 26 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, to help Orlando defeat Phoenix. Despite missing star forwards Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, Orlando had four players in double figures. They remained undefeated at home with a 10-0 record. Devin Booker led the Suns with 25 points.
Grizzlies 140, Wizards 112
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 21 points and helped lead Memphis to a dominant win over Washington. Jackson also contributed four blocks in a strong defensive performance. The Memphis bench scored 76 points, with Santi Aldama leading the way with 19 points. Jay Huff added 17, and Cam Spencer chipped in 14 points.
Jonas Valanciunas scored 20 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for Washington, and Bilal Coulibaly finished with 17 points, five rebounds, and four assists.
Memphis Grizzlies and Washington Wizards
Warriors 114, Timberwolves 106
Stephen Curry, Buddy Hield, and Jonathan Kuminga combined for 77 points to lead Golden State to a win over Minnesota. Curry scored 30 points, Hield added 27, and Kuminga contributed 20. Gary Payton II made key defensive plays down the stretch, including blocking a layup and stealing an important pass to secure the win.
Minnesota was up by one point with just under five minutes left but failed to score again. After a key 3-pointer from Payton, the Warriors held on for the win.
Rockets 117, Clippers 106
Jalen Green scored 31 points, and Amen Thompson added 22 as Houston bounced back from two straight losses to beat Los Angeles. Dillon Brooks added 19 points, and Jabari Smith Jr. finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Ivica Zubac led the Clippers with 21 points and 12 rebounds, and Norman Powell added 17 points. The Clippers were missing James Harden due to a right groin injury.
Kings 141, Jazz 97
Kevin Huerter scored 26 points off the bench, and De’Aaron Fox added 21 points and nine assists to lead Sacramento in a blowout victory over Utah. Huerter made 10 of 14 shots, including 6-for-9 from three. The Kings led by as many as 31 points.
Domantas Sabonis had 19 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists for the Kings. Keyonte George led Utah with 25 points on 8-of-14 shooting.
Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz
Lakers 107, Trail Blazers 98
Anthony Davis scored 30 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and blocked five shots to help Los Angeles defeat Portland. D’Angelo Russell had season-best totals of 28 points and 14 assists, while Rui Hachimura added 23 points and four steals.
Shaedon Sharpe led Portland with 19 points, and Deandre Ayton added 14 points and 19 rebounds before fouling out. Portland lost their fourth straight game.