PHILADELPHIA
Ben Simmons scored 27 points, a fired-up Joel Embiid added 15 points and 10 rebounds despite a sore knee, and Philadelphia beat cold-shooting Utah.
Embiid skipped the morning shoot-around because of pain his surgically-repaired left knee. But he posted his seventh double-double and got under Utah’s skin in the fourth quarter.
After swatting away rookie Donovan Mitchell’s layup, Embiid turned and said something to the fallen Mitchell, who got up and shoved Embiid to the floor. Mitchell drew a technical foul.
Embiid got up and motioned to the fans, who started to chant “MVP” and “Trust the Process,” the team’s mantra during a lengthy rebuild. Embiid got a standing ovation as he exited with 1:50 left in Philadelphia’s second win in five games.
Cavaliers 116, Pistons 88
DETROIT (AP) — LeBron James scored 16 of his 18 points in the first quarter, and Cleveland made 11 3- pointers in the first half in its rout of Detroit.
Cleveland led 73-46 at halftime thanks to an overwhelming shooting performance, an indication that Detroit’s stay atop the Central Division might not last much longer. The Pistons still lead the Cavs by a game, but Cleveland has won five straight and scored at least 110 points in eight of its last nine contests.
Pelicans 114, Thunder 107
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Anthony Davis had 36 points and 15 rebounds, and New Orleans rallied after DeMarcus Cousins’ ejection to beat Oklahoma City.
Cousins had 18 points and nine rebounds before he was called for a flagrant foul on Russell Westbrook with five minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Cousins raised his elbows near Westbrook’s face after grabbing a rebound, and the Thunder guard dropped to the floor holding his head. Westbrook remained in the game and finished with 22 points, 16 rebounds, 12 assists and three steals.
Spurs 96, Hawks 85
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — LaMarcus Aldridge had 22 points and 11 rebounds, and San Antonio held off Atlanta.
Manu Ginobili had 16 points and Danny Green had 14 for the Spurs, who have won four of five. Kyle Anderson added 13 points, 10 assists and six rebounds in his 17th start in place of injured All- Star Kawhi Leonard.
Aldridge powered the Spurs past the pesky Hawks, scoring 12 points with six rebounds in the fourth quarter.
Wizards 99, Bucks 88
MILWAUKEE ( AP) — Bradley Beal scored 23 points to lead Washington over Milwaukee.
Beal helped the Wizards separate from the Bucks with a personal 7- 0 run late in the third quarter. Washington then outscored Milwaukee 13-4 to start the fourth.
Milwaukee has lost two consecutive games to fall back to .500 at 8- 8 after rattling off a four- game winning streak following the trade for Eric Bledsoe.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 23 points.
Knicks 107, Clippers 85
NEW YORK ( AP) — Kristaps Porzingis scored 25 points and New York extended Los Angeles’ losing streak to nine games.
Porzingis outplayed a frustrated Blake Griffin and helped the Knicks snap a 10-game skid in the series with their first victory over the Clippers in five years.
Nuggets 114, Kings 98
SACRAMENTO, Calif. ( AP) — Will Barton and Trey Lyles made two 3- pointers apiece during a big run in the third quarter, and short-handed Denver pulled away to beat Sacramento.
Barton finished with 25 points, six rebounds and five assists in his third start this season for Denver.
Nikola Jokic added 16 points and 14 rebounds and Gary Harris scored 20 for the Nuggets, who bounced back after losing by 21 to the Los Angeles Lakers a night earlier.
Pacers 105, Magic 97
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Victor Oladipo had 29 points, nine rebounds and seven steals to lead Indiana past Orlando, the Pacers’ fourth straight win.
Oladipo, who played his first three NBA seasons in Orlando, and Bojan Bogdanovic combined for 40 points in the second half, 14 of them during a 16- 3 third-quarter run that put the Pacers in command.
Hornets 118, T-wolves 102
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Dwight Howard had 25 points and 20 rebounds, and Charlotte beat Minnesota.
Howard, acquired in an offseason trade from Atlanta, was 8 for 10 from the field and 9 of 14 at the foul line, where he has struggled all season. He outplayed Timberwolves big man Karl- Anthony Towns, who had 18 points and 12 rebounds as Minnesota lost on back-to-back nights.
Trail Blazers 100, Grizzlies 92
MEMPHIS, Tenn. ( AP) — C. J. McCollum scored 24 points and Damian Lillard added 21 points as Portland sent Memphis to its fifth straight loss.
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