TOBIAS Harris shook off a minor ankle scare early in the third quarter to score a season-high 24 points as the short-handed Sixers beat the visiting Brooklyn Nets 115-106 on Tuesday night (Wednesday in Manila) in Ben Simmons’ return to Philadelphia.
Harris, who had missed the previous two games with a sore left hip, appeared to get injured again when he grabbed his right ankle in pain in the opening minute of the third after colliding with Kevin Durant under the rim after missing a short jumper. After getting the ankle taped up, Harris scored 18 of his 24 points. He hit 10 of 21 shots as the Sixers shot 43.4 percent and survived allowing 55 percent.
Kyrie Irving led the Nets with 23 points, but Durant finished with 20 — held under 25 for the first time this season. Nic Claxton added 12 while Simmons collected 11 points and 11 assists while hearing boos throughout the night.
Consecutive putbacks by Paul Reed and De’Anthony Melton opened a 96-87 lead with 8:10 remaining. Harris then made an open 3 for a 99-89 lead when Durant hesitated on a defensive switch a little over a minute later. Three straight hoops by Shake Milton gave Philadelphia a 111-97 lead with 3:08 left, prompting the Nets to empty their bench.
In other games, it was the Kings 113, Grizzlies 109; Pistons 110, Nuggets 108; and Suns 115, Lakers 105.
Kings 113, Grizzlies 109
De’Aaron Fox continued his hot shooting with a team-high 32 points, Harrison Barnes and Kevin Huerter aided in a 3-point barrage with four apiece and Sacramento won its seventh straight game, beating host Memphis.
Ja Morant returned from an ankle injury to put up a game-high 34 points for the Grizzlies, who lost for the fourth time in five games. Sabonis led the Kings in rebounds (13) and assists (eight) while adding nine points. Barnes finished with 26 points, Huerter 18, Malik Monk 14 and Chimezie Metu 10.
Down three, Memphis had a chance to tie when Morant was fouled on a 3-point shot attempt with 1.7 seconds remaining. But he misfired on his first try, then intentionally missed his third attempt, after which Fox completed the scoring with two foul shots of his own.
