JOEL Embiid hit a game-winning shot with five seconds left and James Harden fired in 18 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 118-117 win over the Utah Jazz on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) in Salt Lake City.
Embiid finished with 30 points and seven rebounds, Tyrese Maxey scored 21 points and Shake Milton contributed 17 as the 76ers began a five-game Western Conference road trip on the right note.
Jordan Clarkson led the short-handed Jazz with 38 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
He momentarily put Utah ahead with a go-ahead bucket with 13 seconds left after the Jazz rallied out of a 20-point, first-half deficit. Talen Horton-Tucker scored 20 points off the bench for Utah, which played without four regulars, including leading scorer Lauri Markkanen, who was sidelined with a left hip contusion.
Clarkson kept the Jazz in it with 17 points in the fourth quarter. After Embiid split a pair of free throws, Walker Kessler tipped in a Clarkson miss to give the Jazz their first lead of the game, 115-114, with 33.9 seconds remaining. The teams traded leads in the waning moments, with Harden making a short jumper followed by Clarkson hitting his go-ahead shot prior to Embiid’s game-winner.
In other games, it was the Blazers 136, Mavs 119; Heat 111, Bucks 95; Grizzlies 130, Pacers 112; Celtics 122, Hornets 106; Hawks 114, Raptors 103; and Wolves 110, Cavs 102.
Blazers 136, Mavs 119
Damian Lillard recorded 36 points and 10 assists while outplaying Luka Doncic to lead Portland to a convincing victory over visiting Dallas.
NBA scoring leader Doncic had a season-worst 15 points – 19 below his average – to go with 10 assists and six rebounds. He was just 7 of 19 from the field and missed all five 3-point attempts. Lillard was 11-of-20 shooting, including 4 of 11 from behind the arc, as the Trail Blazers ended a string of six straight losses to Dallas. A second round of Lillard versus Luka will occur Sunday night, also in Portland.
Reggie Bullock hit two straight 3-pointers to bring Dallas within 85-74 with 6:14 left in the period. Consecutive treys by Jerami Grant and Gary Payton II gave Portland a 106-88 lead in the final minute before Doncic’s basket left the Mavericks down 16 entering the fourth quarter. Lillard scored four straight points and Anfernee Simons hit a trey during a 7-0 run that made it 125-101 with 6:41 remaining and Portland cruised to the finish.
Heat 111, Bucks 95
Gabe Vincent scored 27 points as Miami posted a victory over visiting Milwaukee.
Bam Adebayo led the charge down low, finishing with his 21st double-double of the season by collecting 20 points and 13 rebounds. Victor Oladipo scored 20 points and Jimmy Butler added 16. Milwaukee boasted six players that scored in double figures, including all five starters. Bobby Portis led the team with 15 points while Jrue Holiday had 12 points and 10 assists. — Field Level Media
