CLEVELAND (AP) — Joel Embiid had 36 points and 18 rebounds and played the final 4:12 after initially being called for his sixth foul, leading the Philadelphia 76ers to their sixth straight victory, 118-109 over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night.
James Harden added 28 points and Tyrese Maxey had 23 for the Sixers. They were up 108-101 when Embiid was whistled for an offensive charge on Evan Mobley while making a jumper.
As Cleveland fans began to celebrate Embiid’s apparent disqualification, Sixers coach Doc Rivers immediately challenged the call, which was overturned after a replay review and the superstar was allowed to stay on the floor.
With Embiid in foul trouble, the Cavs attacked the rim and closed to 110-107 before Maxey drained a 3-pointer and the 76ers made five straight free throws in the final 51 seconds to close it out.
Caris LeVert scored 24 points and Donovan Mitchell added 21 for the Cavs, who were playing the second night of a back-to-back. Cleveland was without center Jarrett Allen, who missed his third straight game with a bruised right eye.
CLIPPERS 134, WARRIORS 126
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 30 points, Paul George had 24 and Los Angeles overcame Stephen Curry’s 50-point night to beat Golden State.
The Clippers have won four straight to move into fifth place in the Western Conference. The defending NBA champion Warriors are a game back as the teams split the four-game season series.
Leonard was 10 of 19 from the field for his fourth 30-point effort in the last eight games. He had eight rebounds and five assists.
Curry tied a season high in points with the 12th 50-point game of his career. He was 20 of 28 from the field and had eight 3-pointers. The Warriors have lost nine straight road games.
ROCKETS 114, LAKERS 110
HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin Porter Jr. scored 27 points and Houston beat short-handed Los Angeles.
It’s the second straight victory for the Western Conference-worst Rockets, who beat Boston on Monday night.
Already without LeBron James because of an injury, the Lakers were also missing Anthony Davis against Houston. Davis, who had 35 points and 17 rebounds in a win over New Orleans on Tuesday night, isn’t playing both games of back-to-back per doctors’ orders after coming back from a right foot injury.
Austin Reaves had 24 points off the bench for the Lakers.
KINGS 117, BULLS 114
CHICAGO (AP) — De’Aaron Fox hit a 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds left to lift Sacramento past Chicago.
Fox scored 32 points on 12-for-17 shooting, hitting four 3-pointers.
Domantas Sabonis had his second straight triple-double and 11th of the season — finishing with 14 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists — and Sacramento roared back in the second half with hot 3-point shooting.
Malik Monk had 19 points, going 5 for 8 on 3s as the Kings overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to win for the fourth time in five and improve to 9-2 in their last 11.
DeMar DeRozan led Chicago with 33 points.
HEAT 138, GRIZZLIES 119
MIAMI (AP) — Bam Adebayo scored 26 points, Tyler Herro added 24 and Miami enjoyed a rare easy victory, beating Memphis.
Jimmy Butler scored 23 points, Max Strus had 12, Caleb Martin 11 and Kevin Love and Gabe Vincent each had 10. The Heat set a season high for points.
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 25 for Memphis.
The Grizzlies played their sixth game without star guard Ja Morant, who was given an eight-game suspension by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver earlier Wednesday as the penalty for “conduct detrimental to the league” — in this case, “holding a firearm in an intoxicated state while visiting a Denver area nightclub” and live-streaming it March 4.
CELTICS 104, TIMBERWOLVES 102
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jaylen Brown scored 35 points, Jayson Tatum added 22 and Boston held on to beat Minnesota.
Malcolm Brogdon added 12 points off the bench for Boston, which overcame a tough shooting night to win for the third time in four games.
Anthony Edwards had 28 points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota. The Timberwolves have lost three of four.
MAVERICKS 137, SPURS 128, OT
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Christian Wood had 27 points and 13 rebounds and Dallas overcame a series of blunders at the end regulation to beat San Antonio in overtime without injured All-Stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
Dwight Powell and Jaden Hardy had 22 points each and Josh Green added 21 points for Dallas, which snapped a three-game skid.
Keldon Johnson had 27 points to lead the short-handed Spurs.
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The Associated Press
