UNDATED (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers won for the ninth time in 12 games to pull within a half-game of Milwaukee for the second seed in the NBA’s Eastern Conference.
Joel Embiid scored 32 points on 11 of 20 shooting as the 76ers topped the Mavericks, 111-101. Embiid had 21 points by halftime and scored at least 30 for the 33rd time this season.
James Harden had 24 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists while helping the Sixers make life miserable for Luka Doncic. The Dallas guard had 17 points and 10 assists but missed 15 of his 20 shots. Doncic was 2 of 10 from beyond the arc.
Former Villanova star Jalen Brunson hit his first seven shots and had a team-high 24 points for the Mavs.
Checking out Friday’s other NBA action:
— Devin Booker provided 30 points and the Suns moved closer to wrapping up the best regular-season record by routing the Bulls, 129-102. Deandre Ayton added 20 points and 12 rebounds as Phoenix improved to 57-14.
— Tyler Herro got through an ankle scare and scored 26 points as the Heat dumped the Thunder, 120-108. Duncan Robinson scored 19 points in 19 minutes for the Eastern Conference leaders.
— Lauri Markkanen made the go-ahead 3-pointer with 29 seconds left and scored a season-high 31 points, leading the Cavaliers to a 119-116 overtime victory over the Nuggets. Evan Mobley delivered 27 points and 11 boards, while Darius Garland had 25 points and 13 assists as Cleveland ended Denver’s team-record eight-game road winning streak.
— Rudy Gobert had a double-double and Jared Butler scored a career-high 21 points as the Jazz clobbered the Clippers, 121-92. Gobert delivered 19 points, 16 rebounds and two blocks for Utah, which jumped out to a 17-4 lead and held Los Angeles to 27% shooting in the first half.
— Jayson Tatum made seven 3-pointers and scored 32 points in the Celtics’ seventh win in eight games, 126-97 at Sacramento. Jaylen Brown added 30 points to help Boston easily withstand 30 points and 20 rebounds by Domantas Sabonis.
— The Nets won for the fifth time in six games as Kevin Durant pumped in 38 points in a 128-123 win over the Trail Blazers. Seth Curry returned from a one-game injury absence and hit seven 3-pointers while scoring 27 points in his best game since joining Brooklyn.
— Bogdan Bogdanovic scored a season-high 30 points as the Hawks ended the Grizzlies’ four-game winning streak, 120-105. Delon Wright had 18 points filling in for Atlanta guard Trae Young, and Ja Morant scored 29 for Memphis.
— The Lakers’ three-game skid is over after LeBron James scored 19 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter and overtime to lead their 128-123 win at Toronto. Russell Westbrook had 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists to help Los Angeles end Toronto’s five-game winning streak.
— C.J McCollum had 20 points and the Pelicans strengthened their play-in hopes by drubbing the Spurs, 124-91. Jonas Valanciunas had 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Jaxson Hayes added 16 points for New Orleans.
— The Knicks earned a 100-97 win over the Wizards behind Julius Randle’s 18 points and 17 rebounds. RJ Barrett chipped in 18 points and New York dealt Washington its sixth straight loss.
— Malcolm Brogdon scored 25 points and Goga Bitadze added 23, including two key baskets down the stretch, to help the Pacers beat the Rockets, 121-118. Houston dropped its fourth straight despite Christian Wood’s 32 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.
Curry out at least 2 weeks with foot injury
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Warriors guard Stephen Curry will be sidelined at least two weeks with a sprained ligament in his left foot.
Curry went down with 4:19 remaining in the second quarter of a 110-88 home loss to the Celtics on Wednesday night.
A two-week absence for Curry would sideline him until the final five games of the regular season for Golden State, which is third in the Western Conference.
