UNDATED (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers are a little closer to clinching the top seed in the NBA’s Eastern Conference playoffs.
The Sixers won their season-high seventh straight game and increased their lead to three games over Brooklyn and Milwaukee by downing the Pelicans, 109-107. Joel Embiid had 37 points and 13 rebounds amid chants of “MVP! MVP!”
Embiid made two free throws with 1:39 left to bring the Sixers within one, then grabbed a defensive rebound on the other end to set up Tobias Harris’ 3 with 1:10 remaining.
Tobias Harris scored 17 points as the 76ers improved to 46-21.
The Bucks caught up to the Nets as Brook Lopez had 24 points and Khris Middleton scored 21 of his 23 in the second half of a 141-133 downing of the Rockets. Jrue Holiday had 20 points as the Bucks had seven players reach double figures.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 17 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in Milwaukee’s fifth win in a row.
Meanwhile, the Jazz have kept their one-game lead in the West by outscoring the Nuggets, 127-120.
Bojan Bogdanovic set career highs with eight 3-pointers and 48 points, shooting 16 of 23 from the field. Bogdanovic also had eight rebounds in Utah’s fourth win in a row.
Jordan Clarkson added 21 points and eight assists as the Jazz dropped the Nuggets five games off the West lead and one game behind the third-place Clippers.
Michael Porter, Jr. scored 31 points for Denver, and Nikola Jokic added 24 points, 13 assists, and nine rebounds.
Checking out Friday’s other NBA action:
— Deandre Ayton furnished 26 points and the Suns stayed one game off the West lead by dominating the fourth quarter of a 128-105 drubbing the Knicks. Phoenix scored four points in the last second of the third quarter to take a 90-88 lead and outscored New York, 38-17 the rest of the way. Chris Paul added 17 points and 11 assists as the Suns trimmed the Knicks lead for fourth place in the East to a half-game over the Hawks.
— Luka Doncic provided 24 points in 23 minutes and the Mavericks stayed in fifth place in the West with an easy 110-90 victory over the Cavaliers. Tim Hardaway Jr. added 20 points for Dallas, which didn’t trail after going ahead 4-2 in the Cavaliers’ ninth consecutive loss. The Mavs built a 62-37 halftime lead by holding Cleveland to 31% shooting before the break.
— Damian Lillard had 38 points to lead Portland to a 106-101 victory over the Lakers. The Trail Blazers grabbed the tiebreaker over Los Angeles as the two teams try to avoid the play-in tournament. Anthony Davis had 36 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers, losers in eight of their last 10 games.
— Tyler Herro returned after a six-game absence and scored 27 points in the Heat’s 121-112 victory over the Timberwolves. Jimmy Butler had 25 and the Miami Heat moved back into the No. 6 spot in the East. Goran Dragic added 23 points for Miami.
— Terry Rozier scored 28 points, LaMelo Ball added 27 points and the Hornets inched closer to securing a spot in the play-in tournament with a 122-112 win over the Magic. P.J. Washington had another strong shooting night and finished with 23 points and nine rebounds. Charlotte can clinch a spot in the play-in tournament with a win Sunday against New Orleans.
— Dejounte Murray scored 10 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter of the Spurs’ 113-104 decision over the Kings. DeMar DeRozan had 25 points to help San Antonio end a five-game skid and strengthen its hold on the final Western Conference playoff slot.
— Zach LaVine and Coby White each scored 25 points as the Bulls blasted the Celtics, 121-99. White hit seven 3-pointers and Chicago made 18 of 40 from beyond the arc. Nikola Vucevic added 18 points, 10 assists and 14 rebounds to help the Bulls withstand Kemba Walker’s 33 points for Boston.
