JOEL Embiid returned from a seven-game absence to provide 31 points and 12 rebounds as the Philadelphia Sixers held off the host Chicago Bulls for a 108-100 win on Sunday afternoon (Monday in Manila).
Embiid carried Philadelphia to its fourth win in five games after sitting out to manage a left knee injury. Tyrese Maxey backed the big man with his first career triple-double, collecting 25 points, 11 rebounds and 14 assists.
Zach LaVine racked up 30 points and the Bulls sank 19 threes, but they still couldn’t avoid their second straight loss. Nikola Vucevic and Coby White each finished with 13 points, with Vucevic also snatching eight boards.
After facing a 19-point deficit just over four minutes into the second half, the Bulls came to life at the end of the third quarter. They closed the frame on an 8-0 run, with Jalen Smith canning a 3-pointer at the buzzer to get Chicago within 88-79 heading into the fourth.
The Bulls trailed by only four after LaVine connected on a trey with 5:24 left in the game to make it 96-92, but that was the closest the hosts would get.
In other games, it was the Nuggets 141, Hawks 111; Spurs 121, Pelicans 116; Bucks 118, Nets 113; Hornets 113, Pacers 109; Heat 122, Cavs 113; Magic 115, Suns 110; Grizzlies 140, Wizards 112; Warriors 114, Wolves 106; Rockets 117, Clippers 106; Kings 141, Jazz 97; and Lakers 107, Blazers 98.
Nuggets 141, Hawks 111
Nikola Jokic scored 48 points to guide visiting Denver to a win over Atlanta, ending the Hawks’ six-game winning streak.
Jokic went 17-for-29 from the field and added 14 rebounds and eight assists. After scoring a career-high 56 points against the Washington Wizards on Saturday, Jokic set the pace by scoring 13 points in the first quarter on Sunday, and he had 25 at halftime. The Nuggets also got 26 points and seven rebounds from Michael Porter Jr.
Atlanta’s top scorers were De’Andre Hunter (20 points) and Dyson Daniels (18), with Daniels also grabbing five steals.
Spurs 121, Pelicans 116
Victor Wembanyama scored 25 points, including the last seven for San Antonio over the final 36.9 seconds of the game, as the Spurs defeated visiting New Orleans.
Chris Paul had 10 assists for the Spurs to pass Jason Kidd for second on the all-time assists list. Paul’s 12,099 helpers trail only John Stockton (15,806) in that category.
Trey Murphy III led New Orleans with 25 points, with CJ McCollum adding 19, Dejounte Murray racking up 18 points and 11 assists and Yves Missi amassing 18 points and 14 rebounds. The Pelicans have dropped two straight games and 11 of their past 12.
