Seth Curry led the 76ers with 20 points in just 23 minutes of court time on Friday, while Joel Embiid had 13 points and 11 rebounds in 23 minutes and Ben Simmons added 13 points and nine assists in 26 minutes.
Philadelphia (48-23) – Eastern Conference champions for the first time since 2000-01 – will open the playoffs against the number eight seed that emerges from next week's play-in tournament.
Two teams will emerge from the Eastern Conference side, which will include the Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers and the Washington Wizards.
The Wizards clinched their play-in spot with a 120-105 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers as Russell Westbrook recorded yet another triple-double following 21 points, 17 assists and 12 rebounds.
Westbrook's triple-double was his 37th in 63 appearances this season, and he had at least 15 assists for the seventh consecutive game. Only John Stockton and Isiah Thomas have had seven such games in a row, with Stockton doing it three times.
Mavericks avoid play-in with win over Raptors
Luka Doncic tallied 20 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds and Kristaps Porzingis added 21 points and 10 rebounds as the Dallas Mavericks (42-29) held off the Toronto Raptors for a 114-110 win that clinched a spot in the Western Conference's top six.
The Denver Nuggets beat the Detroit Pistons 104-91 to draw even with the Los Angeles Clippers, who fell 122-115 to the lowly Houston Rockets. Denver (47-24) got 20 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists from MVP candidate Nikola Jokic in the win, the Nuggets' third in a row. The Clippers' loss gave the idle Phoenix Suns (49-21) the Pacific Division title.
The NBA-leading Utah Jazz won 109-93 at the Oklahoma City Thunder behind 22 points from Bojan Bogdanovic. Utah (51-20) can clinch the top seed in the west with a win against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday or a Suns loss against the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday or Sunday.
The Golden State Warriors downed the New Orleans Pelicans 125-122 behind Jordan Poole's 38 points for their fifth consecutive victory. The Memphis Grizzlies also won their fifth straight game, 107-106 over the Kings, while resting most of their key players. Golden State and Memphis share 38-33 records and will meet on Sunday with the number eight seed on the line as they head into the play-in tournament.
Bulls miss out again
The Wizards' win ended the idle Chicago Bulls' hopes of making the play-in tournament, marking the fourth consecutive season the storied franchise will miss the playoffs.
Hometown kid Harris posts career night
The Raptors played without their top seven scorers in Friday's loss to the Mavericks, but Dallas native Jalen Harris did his part in a losing effort with a career-high 31 points.
Friday's results
Washington Wizards 120-105 Cleveland Cavaliers
Denver Nuggets 104-91 Detroit Pistons
Philadelphia 76ers 122-97 Orlando Magic
Utah Jazz 109-93 Oklahoma City Thunder
Dallas Mavericks 114-110 Toronto Raptors
Houston Rockets 122-115 Los Angeles Clippers
Memphis Grizzlies 107-106 Sacramento Kings
Golden State Warriors 125-122 New Orleans Pelicans
Lakers at Pacers
The Los Angeles Lakers need a win to pull even with the Portland Trail Blazers for the sixth spot in the Western Conference, and the reigning champions are hoping to have LeBron James back in the line-up as they face the Pacers.
James Harden had minimal impact in the second half as Spurs small forward Doug McDermott took control with an eight-point burst, capping his 14 points, which all came in the second half.
The 76ers, who had been beaten by contenders, the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks, to open their season, squandered Embiid's huge game where he shot 14-of-25 from the field and hauled down 13 rebounds with two blocks.
Harden only added 12 points on four-of-18 shooting, making one-of-six three-point attempts. The former MVP provided 12 assists with nine rebounds and two blocks, but was inconspicuous in the second half with the game up for grabs, with the Spurs defense denying him good looks.
Tyrese Maxey contributed 25 points for the 76ers, including three triples, but Philadelphia slumped to their first 0-3 start since 2016-17.
Devin Vassell (22 points with nine-of-14 field shooting, including four three-pointers) and Keldon Johnson (21 points with eight rebounds) were San Antonio's most productive offensive players.
Mitchell betters LeBron start for Cavs
Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points as he claimed his first win as a Cleveland Cavaliers player in their 128-96 victory over the Chicago Bulls in their home season opener.
Mitchell achieved a feat that not even LeBron James could, becoming the first Cavs player with back-to-back 30-point games to open a season.
The All-Star, who made a high-profile trade from the Utah Jazz to the Cavs in the off-season, landed four-of-six from beyond the arc with nine rebounds and eight assists.
Zach LaVine returned after off-season knee surgery that forced him to miss Chicago's opening two games to top score for the Bulls with 23 points.
Giannis powers Bucks past Rockets
Giannis Antetokounmpo only needed 28 minutes to put on an MVP-like display as the Milwaukee Bucks routed the Houston Rockets 125-105 in their home opener at Fiserv Forum.
Antetokounmpo scored 44 points, shooting 17-of-21 from the field with two three-pointers, along with 12 rebounds and three assists.
The Greek forward became Milwaukee's all-time free throws leader, shooting eight-of-13 from the stripe to exceed Sidney Moncrief's 3,505 record, before sitting out with 8:08 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Jayson Tatum also scored 40 points to lead the 3-0 Boston Celtics past the 0-3 Orlando Magic 126-120, while Paul George had 40 in the Los Angeles Clippers' 111-109 win over the Sacramento Kings.
While 2020-21 MVP runner-up Joel Embiid and Matisse Thybulle remain sidelined due to the league's health and safety protocol, last season's Eastern Conference top seeds the 76ers welcomed back star Tobias Harris and Seth Curry.
Tyrese Maxey also scored 33 points in back-to-back 30-point games, but it was not enough for the 76ers (8-5) at home to the Raptors in Philadelphia on Thursday.
Maxey became the first 76er in either his first or second season with consecutive 30-plus point games since Embiid in 2017.
But Eastern Conference rivals the Raptors (7-6) silenced Wells Fargo Center thanks to Fred VanVleet (32 points), Gary Trent Jr. (20 points) and Og Anunoby (20 points).
VanVleet and Trent hit back-to-back three-pointers over the final 1:10 to lift the Raptors, who had lost three games in a row.
Streaking Clippers cool Heat
The Los Angeles Clippers (7-4) posted their sixth successive victory after outlasting the Miami Heat 112-109. Paul George scored 27 points and Reggie Jackson registered all his 22 points in the second half as the Clippers overturned a 17-point deficit. Bam Adebayo's season-high 30 points and 11 rebounds were not enough for the Heat (7-5), who dropped their third straight game and fourth of five.
Jazz beaten at home
For the first time this season, the Utah Jazz (8-4) lost at home following a surprise 111-100 defeat against the Indiana Pacers. All-Star pair Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell were ejected in the fourth quarter, along with team-mate Joe Ingles and Indiana's Myles Turner. The Pacers (5-8) were led by Malcolm Brogdon's season-high 30 points.
NBA leaders the Lakers had won a franchise-record 10 consecutive away games to open the season heading into Wednesday's showdown in Philadelphia.
But the Eastern Conference-leading 76ers (13-6) handed the Lakers their first road loss thanks to Tobias Harris' 15-foot jumper with 2.4 seconds remaining.
The Lakers rallied from a 100-86 with less than five minutes remaining in the final quarter, using a 13-0 run to hit the front for the first time since the opening period.
But Harris and the 76ers had the final say in a thrilling finish at Wells Fargo Center, where the forward had 24 points and Joel Embiid posted 28 of his own.
James led the visiting Lakers (14-5) with a game-high 34 points and star team-mate Anthony Davis contributed 23 points.
James Harden and Kevin Durant put on a show again as the star-studded Brooklyn Nets outlasted the Atlanta Hawks 132-128 in overtime.
Harden posted 31 points and 15 assists and Durant scored 32 points, while Kyrie Irving finished with 26 points away to the Hawks in Atlanta midweek.
Former MVP Harden became the first Nets player with a 30-point, 15-assist game since Stephon Marbury in 2000, and Durant recorded his 15th consecutive 20-plus point game to start the season.
Simmons with another triple-double
76ers All-Star Ben Simmons put up 17 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a winning effort. It moved Simmons up to 13th on the all-time list for triple-doubles (31) – tied with Luka Doncic and Hall of Famer John Havlicek.
Two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo's 24 points and 18 rebounds lifted the Milwaukee Bucks past the Toronto Raptors 115-108.
The Utah Jazz celebrated their 10th straight win – 116-104 over the Dallas Mavericks – behind Rudy Gobert's 29 points and 20 rebounds. Doncic's 30 points were not enough for the Mavericks.
Bradley Beal had 47 points in a losing effort as the struggling Washington Wizards were beaten 124-106 by the New Orleans Pelicans, who were led by Zion Williamson (32 points) and Brandon Ingram (32 points).
Chris Paul registered 32 points but the Phoenix Suns still went down 102-97 to his former team the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Robinson headlines Miami's woes
The Miami Heat are struggling to reach the heights of last season, which saw them make a run to the NBA Finals. Miami have lost four in a row following a 109-82 rout at the hands of the Denver Nuggets. Duncan Robinson was just three-of-11 from the field, making only two-of-10 three-point attempts for eight points in 36 minutes.
Sabonis stays hot
Domantas Sabonis was dominant yet again as the Indiana Pacers defeated the Charlotte Hornets 116-106. He recorded his sixth career triple-double with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.
Wednesday's results
Indiana Pacers 116-106 Charlotte Hornets
Cleveland Cavaliers 122-107 Detroit Pistons
Sacramento Kings 121-107 Orlando Magic
Brooklyn Nets 132-128 Atlanta Hawks (OT)
Denver Nuggets 109-82 Miami Heat
Philadelphia 76ers 107-106 Los Angeles Lakers
Milwaukee Bucks 115-108 Toronto Raptors
San Antonio Spurs 110-106 Boston Celtics
New Orleans Pelicans 124-106 Washington Wizards
Oklahoma City Thunder 102-97 Phoenix Suns
Utah Jazz 116-104 Dallas Mavericks
Golden State Warriors 123-111 Minnesota Timberwolves
Chicago Bulls-Memphis Grizzlies (postponed)
Lakers at Pistons
James and the Lakers will look to bounce back when they continue their season-long seven-game road trip against the lowly Pistons (4-13) in Detroit on Thursday.
Milwaukee came into the contest boasting the best record in the NBA, and they appeared well on their way to making it 17 in a row after building a 99-85 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
But the 76ers started the last period on a 16-2 run, and ended up scoring 48 in the quarter, finally taking a 127-125 lead with 42 seconds remaining following a Joel Embiid three-pointer.
It was a spectacular showing from Philadelphia's top three offensive options, and it was James Harden leading the way with 38 points on 11-of-26 shooting, adding 10 assists and nine rebounds.
Embiid was terrific with 31 points (11-of-22 shooting) and an equal season-high 10 assists, and Tyrese Maxey continued to thrive since being reintroduced to the starting line-up, scoring 26 points on eight-of-12 shooting.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 34 points (nine-of-21 shooting) and 13 rebounds, but his seven turnovers were two more than the 76ers committed as an entire team.
With the win, the 76ers (41-22) pulled to within four games of the Bucks (45-18) in the race for the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
Bam bullies the Hawks
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo was a destructive force on both ends as his side defeated the Atlanta Hawks 117-109 in front of a sold-out home crowd.
The two-time All-Star shot 10-of-12 from the field and the same from the free throw line for 30 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, while also blocking two shots and snatching a steal.
Jimmy Butler continued to operate as the de facto point guard, dishing seven assists while only attempting eight field goals for his 15 points, 11 rebounds and two steals, while Tyler Herro poured in 20 points (eight-of-21 shooting) with five assists.
Miami are now just two games behind the flailing sixth-seeded Brooklyn Nets as they seek to rise out of the Play-In Tournament placings.
VanVleet lifts the Raptors in overtime
Fred VanVleet hit big shots late as his Toronto Raptors emerged victorious 116-109 in overtime against the Washington Wizards.
VanVleet ended up with an equal game-high 10 assists to go with his 25 points (nine-of-16 shooting), and he hit a pair of three-pointers in the overtime period, while the Wizards could only muster four points as a team after regulation.
It was a game-winning showing off the bench for Gary Trent Jr, with 26 points (11-of-18 shooting), five rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Delon Wright was a standout for Washington, tallying six steals to go with 18 points (six-of-10), seven assists and six rebounds.
Defending champions the Lakers lost their fourth consecutive game in the absence of injured stars LeBron James (ankle) and Anthony Davis (calf) as the 76ers stayed hot.
Danny Green haunted his former team in Los Angeles to guide the in-form 76ers to their fourth successive victory.
Green and Dwight Howard – who tasted success with the Lakers last season before both joined the 76ers – received their championship rings pre-game at Staples Center.
Green hit eight of 12 three-pointers – more than any Lakers player has made this season – for a game-high 28 points, while Howard was ejected at the end of the opening quarter.
Kyle Kuzma (25 points) and Dennis Schroder (20 points and 11 assists) led the slumping the Lakers, who suffered their sixth straight home defeat to the 76ers.
Fox has night to remember
De'Aaron Fox posted a career-high 44 points to lead the Sacramento Kings to a crushing 141-119 win against the Golden State Warriors. He was 16-of-22 from the field, to go with seven assists and three steals against the Stephen Curry-less Warriors. Tyrese Haliburton added 21 points with a career-high six three-pointers as Richaun Holmes contributed a double-double of 25 points and 11 rebounds.
Paul George's double-double (24 points and 13 rebounds) helped the Los Angeles Clippers top the San Antonio Spurs 98-85 in the absence of injured star Kawhi Leonard (foot). Ivica Zubac (10 points and 13 rebounds) and Terance Mann (10 points and 12 rebounds) also had double-doubles, while Reggie Jackson top-scored with 28 points.
The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Miami Heat 125-122 behind C.J. McCollum and Damian Lillard. McCollum put up 35 points, while Lillard had 22 of his own away to the Heat. Enes Kanter also finished with 18 points and 16 rebounds as veteran Carmelo Anthony scored 20 points off the bench.
Westbrook struggles from the field
Russell Westbrook might have finished just shy of a triple-double (13 points, 18 rebounds and nine assists) but he was far from his best shooting. The former MVP was just three-of-15 from the field. Westbrook also missed all five of his attempts from beyond the arc, while tallying eight turnovers as the New York Knicks stormed back to trump the Washington Wizards 106-102.
The windmill!
There was not much to celebrate for the Warriors on Thursday. But Juan Toscano-Anderson's slam after stealing the ball provided a highlight on the road in Sacramento.
Thursday's results
Philadelphia 76ers 109-101 Los Angeles Lakers
Portland Trail Blazers 125-122 Miami Heat
New York Knicks 106-102 Washington Wizards
Los Angeles Clippers 98-85 San Antonio Spurs
Sacramento Kings 141-119 Golden State Warriors
Nets at Pistons
The Brooklyn Nets (30-15) will look to keep pace with the 76ers in the east when they visit the lowly Detroit Pistons (12-31) on Friday.
Embiid last played on Jan. 30 and underwent surgery on Feb. 6. He averaged 35.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.76 blocks in 34 games before getting injured.
Embiid’s return will be a welcome sight for the 76ers, who currently sit in eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
Philadelphia is 26-8 this season with Embiid in the lineup and 14-27 when playing without the seven-time All-Star.
The 76ers are in action four times this week. They host the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday before a three-game road trip that features matchups with the Miami Heat on Thursday, the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday and the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.
The reigning NBA MVP could have also played for his homeland Cameroon or France, which in July 2022 issued Embiid a French passport as “a foreigner whose naturalisation is of exceptional interest.”
“I’ve been here for a long time,” said Embiid in September 2022 after being sworn in as an American citizen.
“My son is American. I felt like, I’m living here and it’s a blessing to be an American. So I said, why not?”
Embiid and the 76ers started training camp this week after he earned his first NBA MVP award last season.
The 29-year-old averaged a career-high 33.1 points to lead the NBA while finishing seventh in the league in blocks (1.7), eighth in rebounding (10.2) and 20th in field-goal percentage (54.8).
Embiid also tied a personal best with 4.2 assists per game.
The United States is hoping more NBA superstars choose to play in France when the team will be chasing a fifth straight gold medal.
The Sixers still lead 3-1 in the series, but were unable to secure their passage to the Eastern Conference semi-finals at Scotiabank Arena.
It was not a great night for Embiid, who scored more than 30 points in both Game 2 and 3 of the series, but only managed 21 in Game 4, hitting seven of 16 field goal attempts.
Embiid was not happy with several calls from the officials in the game, and spoke to reporters after the 110-102 loss, saying: "I'm going to take my own advice and not complain about it.
"If they want to give fouls or want to call really no fouls, we've got to really make them earn it and really be physical."
A statement from the league via the NBA Communications Twitter page on Monday confirmed that Embiid had been fined for his comments.
"Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has been fined $15,000 for public criticism of the officiating, it was announced today by Byron Spruell, President, League Operations," the statement read.
"Embiid made his remarks to the media following the 76ers' 110-102 loss to the Toronto Raptors in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on April 23 at Scotiabank Arena."
The MVP contender has been suffering with a torn thumb ligament, but Sixers coach Doc Rivers has insisted it will not impact his availability in the playoffs.
An NBA MVP candidate before suffering bone bruising in his left knee, Embiid has not played since the March 13 win over the Washington Wizards.
But Embiid will make his way back on to the court in Saturday's visit of the lowly Timberwolves (12-37), with the 76ers (33-15) only a half-game behind the Brooklyn Nets (34-15) in the Eastern Conference.
Embiid, who posted 23 points before exiting against Washington, is averaging a career-high 29.9 points per game in 2020-21.
The 27-year-old Embiid has also been averaging career highs in field-goal percentage (52.5) and three-point percentage (42.2).
Embiid scored 37 points in the previous meeting between the 76ers and Timberwolves this season on January 29 – Philadelphia winning 118-94.
Embiid, who was already ruled out of Thursday's NBA showdown against Eastern Conference rivals the Boston Celtics, will be re-evaluated in 1-2 weeks.
The All-Star dislocated his left ring finger in the opening quarter of Monday's 120-113 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Embiid, however, continued and finished with 18 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in Philadelphia.
"All of a sudden, we're different," 76ers head coach Brett Brown said prior to Thursday's game. "We're just different. I look at this as an opportunity.
"Nobody's crying. This is not a 'woe is me' moment, not for me, at all. And not for my players. We'll take what we have, and what we have, I love."
Embiid has been averaging 23.4 points, 12.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game for Eastern Conference contenders the 76ers (24-14) this season.
A subluxation is a partial and temporary dislocation, and similar injuries reportedly require a recovery period of several weeks.
"This one stings for sure," Philadelphia coach Brett Brown said on Thursday. "We all felt like, with the pandemic and are we going to play again, it obviously bought time for Ben.
"In relation to sort of being incredibly down about it, I'm not. I feel numb to it."
Simmons was injured in the third quarter against the Wizards, appearing to tweak his knee after grabbing his sixth rebound of the game. At the next stoppage of play, he limped straight to the locker room.
He is now looking at treatment options, and Brown expects the team will be able to put a timeline on his rehab by Friday.
"Some of the information is fluid, it's still moving," Brown said. "In relation to saying any type of deadline, timeline, playoff, whatever, I'm not in a position to offer anything. Not because we don't want to, but stuff is still being evaluated.
"What I do know — it's boring, but we play Orlando [Magic] tomorrow and we don't have him. That's kind of all I know at this point."
In his third full season in the NBA in 2019-20, the 24-year-old Simmons made his second All-Star team, averaging 16.4 points, 8.0 assists and 7.8 rebounds in 57 games. The 76ers went 35-22 with Simmons in the lineup, and 6-5 in games he did not play.
"Ben is an incredible player, an incredible athlete," Sixers point guard Shake Milton said. "A superhuman. So hopefully he's able to heal superfast and get back out on the court, because we need him."
Philadelphia have already clinched a playoff berth and entered Thursday's play a game back of the Indiana Pacers for the Eastern Conference's fifth seed.
Joel Embiid fuelled the 76ers with a double-double of 27 points and 10 rebounds away to the Knicks in New York on Saturday.
Ben Simmons recorded 15 points, nine rebounds and six assists as he nullified Knicks star RJ Barrett, while Tobias Harris and Seth Curry each had 17 points apiece for the championship-chasing 76ers.
76ers head coach Rivers – who replaced Brett Brown in the offseason – also earned his 945th regular-season victory to move 10th all time, surpassing Bill Fitch.
The 76ers have won 13 consecutive games against the lowly Knicks (0-2).
James Harden registered 44 points and 17 assists, but the Houston Rockets still lost 128-126 to the Portland Trail Blazers in overtime.
Houston were playing for the first time after their season opener was postponed due to coronavirus, and Harden – reportedly eyeing a trade to the 76ers or Brooklyn Nets – almost guided the Rockets to victory in Portland.
The Trail Blazers (1-1) were spearheaded by CJ McCollum (44 points) and Damian Lillard (32 points).
Westbrook follows in Magic's footsteps
Former MVP Westbrook became the first player since Magic Johnson in 1982 to post triple-doubles in his team's first two games of the season. Westbrook put up 15 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists in Washington's 130-120 loss to the unbeaten Orlando Magic. Acquired from the Rockets, Westbrook became the fourth player in NBA history to achieve the feat, along with Johnson (twice), Jerry Lucas and Oscar Robertson, though the nine-time All-Star is the first player to do it with a new team.
The San Antonio Spurs rallied past the Toronto Raptors 119-114 thanks to DeMar DeRozan, Dejounte Murray and Patty Mills. DeRozan scored 27 points and Murray added 11 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds for his first ever triple-double – becoming just the 14th player in franchise history to accomplish the feat. Mills was eight of nine from the field and five of six from three-point range for 21 points off the bench.
Trae Young posted 36 points to lead the Atlanta Hawks past the Memphis Grizzlies 122-112. Kevin Huerter added 21 points off the bench, while Deandre Hunter had a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds. Grizzlies star Ja Morant finished with 28 points as team-mate Kyle Anderson (20 points and 14 rebounds) also impressed.
The Indiana Pacers took down the Chicago Bulls thanks to Domantas Sabonis' triple-double (22 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists), Victor Oladipo (22 points) and TJ Warren (23 points).
Collin Sexton (32 points), Andre Drummond (23 points and 16 rebounds) and Darius Garland (21 points and 12 assists) combined to inspire the Cleveland Cavaliers' 128-119 overtime victory at the Detroit Pistons.
Rough night for Barrett
Barrett struggled to get going under the watchful eye of Simmons. The Knicks star was just two-of-15 shooting from the field, while he missed all six of his three-point attempts. Barrett finished with 10 points, six rebounds and four assists in a team-high 37 minutes.
Gilgeous-Alexander calls game!
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander nailed a clutch jumper with 1.4 seconds remaining to lift the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 109-107 win against the Charlotte Hornets.
Saturday's results
Atlanta Hawks 122-112 Memphis Grizzlies
Oklahoma City Thunder 109-107 Charlotte Hornets
Cleveland Cavaliers 128-119 Detroit Pistons (OT)
Orlando Magic 130-120 Washington Wizards
Philadelphia 76ers 109-89 New York Knicks
Indiana Pacers 125-106 Chicago Bulls
San Antonio Spurs 119-114 Toronto Raptors
Minnesota Timberwolves 116-111 Utah Jazz
Sacramento Kings 106-103 Phoenix Suns
Portland Trail Blazers 128-126 Houston Rockets (OT)
Timberwolves at Lakers
The Timberwolves (2-0) will face defending champions the Los Angeles Lakers (1-1) on the road on Sunday. LeBron James and the Lakers will look to claim back-to-back wins after their Christmas Day success.
Embiid sat out the entire pre-season due to a sore left knee and is currently on an individualised rehab plan.
The 2022-23 NBA MVP will also be sidelined for Friday’s game at the Toronto Raptors before being re-evaluated. Philadelphia visits the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.
George is also uncertain to play this week after sustaining a left knee bone bruise during the preseason.
The 76ers added the nine-time All-Star in the summer to join fellow All-Stars Embiid and Tyrese Maxey on the roster.
George, a nine-time All-Star, will also be re-evaluated later this week.
MVP hopeful Joel Embiid posted 29 points for the 76ers, who took another step towards clinching the Eastern Conference and top seed ahead of the NBA playoffs on Saturday.
In the absence of Ben Simmons and Seth Curry, rookie Tyrese Maxey added 22 points and Dwight Howard (19 points and 14 rebounds) moved up to 10th on the all-time double-doubles list with his 743rd.
The 76ers improved to 47-21 for the season and moved three games clear of the Nets (44-24), who returned to winning ways by upstaging the Denver Nuggets 125-119.
Kevin Durant was nine-for-14 shooting for 33 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocks as the rallying Nets ended their four-game losing streak to reclaim second spot ahead of the idle Milwaukee Bucks.
Nets team-mate Kyrie Irving added 31 points of his own, while MVP candidate and Nuggets star Nikola Jokic put up 29 points, seven rebounds and six assists at home.
Westbrook matches Hall of Famer
Washington Wizards star Russell Westbrook equalled Oscar Robertson's record after posting his 181st career triple-double. Westbrook moved level with the Hall of Famer thanks to his 33 points, 19 rebounds and 15 assists in a 133-132 overtime win against the Indiana Pacers. The former MVP became the first player in NBA history to record back-to-back games with 15-plus rebounds and 15-plus assists. Team-mate Bradley Beal had 50 points before a hamstring injury forced him to sit out OT. A Domantas Sabonis triple-double (30 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists) and Caris LeVert's double-double of 35 points and 14 rebounds were not enough for the Pacers.
The NBA-leading Utah Jazz reached 50 victories for the season behind Georges Niang's joint-career high 24 points in a 124-116 win at home to the lowly Houston Rockets.
Damian Lillard's game-high 30 points fuelled the Portland Trail Blazers' 124-102 victory against the San Antonio Spurs.
Jonas Valanciunas dominated with his 47th double-double of the season – 18 points and 21 rebounds – in the Memphis Grizzlies' 109-99 triumph over the Toronto Raptors.
Ellington struggles in Philly
Pistons veteran Wayne Ellington was one-for-seven shooting, while making just one of his six three-pointers for three points in 24 minutes.
The three-point king!
Stephen Curry put on a show in three quarters of action as the Golden State Warriors crushed the Oklahoma City Thunder 136-97. Curry posted 49 points in 29 minutes, matching his season best with 11 three-pointers, including a deep attempt from beyond the arc in the third period. Curry had his 10th 40-point game of the season and 48th of his career. His performance also marked the fourth time he has posted multiple 20-point quarters in the same game, and the first time since 2018.
Saturday's results
Washington Wizards 133-132 Indiana Pacers (OT)
Philadelphia 76ers 118-104 Detroit Pistons
Memphis Grizzlies 109-99 Toronto Raptors
Utah Jazz 124-116 Houston Rockets
Golden State Warriors 136-97 Oklahoma City Thunder
Portland Trail Blazers 124-102 San Antonio Spurs
Brooklyn Nets 125-119 Denver Nuggets
Suns at Lakers
The high-flying Phoenix Suns (48-19) will be looking to sizzle against struggling defending champions the Los Angeles Lakers (37-30) on Sunday. The Suns are second in the west, while the Lakers are seventh and on track to feature in the play-in tournament.
The 76ers (6-2) were without starters Tobias Harris and Danny Green, in addition to disgruntled Ben Simmons' ongoing absence, but still outlasted the Bulls in Philadelphia for their fourth successive win on Wednesday.
Curry posted 22 points, including a crucial late jumper with 10.7 seconds remaining, while the returning Embiid put up 18 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and a big block during the closing stages to deny DeMar DeRozan (joint season-high 37 points).
The 76ers – boasting an eight-game winning streak over the Bulls, their best run against the Chicago franchise since March 1984 – shot 42.9 per cent from three-point range as they swept their four-game homestand for the first time since February last year.
Chicago (6-2), who have emerged as a contender in the east after landing DeRozan, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso in the offseason to go with Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, overturned a double-digit deficit to level the game in the fourth period but could not complete the job.
Durant fuels streaking Nets
The Brooklyn Nets made it three wins in a row thanks to a 117-108 victory against the Atlanta Hawks and Kevin Durant's 32 points. Durant is averaging 28.3 points, a career-high 8.6 rebounds and 5.3 assists while boasting a career-best 59.2 per cent field-goal percentage.
Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic had 34 points and 11 rebounds, but missed a shot on the buzzer to send the game to overtime as the Denver Nuggets went down 108-106 at the Memphis Grizzlies.
Paul George leads the league in scoring and the Los Angeles Clippers star was behind the team's 126-115 victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves with 32 points.
Jordan Poole's second career 30-point game (31 points) led the Golden State Warriors to their sixth win in seven games, a 114-92 success against the Charlotte Hornets.
Walker's woes
There is plenty of hype around the New York Knicks, especially after bringing Kemba Walker to Madison Square Garden. However, the four-time All-Star had a game to forget in the 111-98 loss to the Indiana Pacers. Walker made just two of his 11 shots, while missing all five of his three-pointers for four points.
Turnovers crippled the 76ers as rivals the Celtics made a winning start in the NBA playoffs at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida on Monday.
While Embiid put up 26 points and 16 rebounds in the absence of fellow All-Star Ben Simmons, it was not enough for the 76ers – who recorded 18 turnovers against the Celtics.
Embiid had five turnovers of his own, with the Celtics benefiting by scoring 21 points as a result in the first-round opener.
"Obviously not enough [shots]," Embiid – carrying the load with Simmons sidelined for the remainder of the season – said afterwards. "I've got to be more aggressive.
"Maybe we need to call some more plays but I don't know. That's another thing we've got to fix going into game two."
Championship hopefuls and sixth seeds the 76ers, who are looking to progress beyond the Conference semi-finals for the first time since losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2001 NBA Finals, face the Celtics in game two on Wednesday.
"I've got to do more. I got one job to do, to carry us," Embiid said. "I'm going to need my team-mates to help but I need to do more.
"I've got to take more shots, I've got to be more aggressive, I've got to help my team-mates."
Philadelphia head coach Brett Brown shared his thoughts on his team's turnovers, adding: "This is the double-edged sword where you have to figure out what line do you want to walk.
"This overplaying the volume of just smashmouth, bully-ball post-ups; if you do it all the time it comes with some level of punishment if you're not careful."
Embiid was reportedly the frontrunner for the league's Most Valuable Player award before missing 10 games with a knee injury.
The four-time All-Star scored 24 points in his return against the Minnesota Timberwolves on April 3, and he followed that up with 35 points in a win over the Boston Celtics.
Embiid struggled in Friday's loss against the New Orleans Pelicans – posting 14 points on just five-for-15 shooting – but he was close to his best with 27 points and nine rebounds as the 76ers took down the Oklahoma City Thunder 117-93 on Saturday.
"When it comes to the MVP stuff, I feel like I'm still right there," Embiid said post-game.
"When I'm on the floor, I feel like I've been the best all season, just doing my thing.
"Just dominating with the help of my team-mates and the coaches putting me in the right positions to succeed."
Embiid finishing 10-of-17 from the field, making seven of nine free-throws to lift the 76ers on the road against the Thunder.
The 76ers big man had 21 points in the first half – his 12th 20-point first half of the season – matching Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic for the most in the NBA.
Embiid is now one of three players with at least 20 20-point halves (first or second), joining Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers and Golden State Warriors superstars Stephen Curry.
"To get 21 by half-time, I was shocked by that," said 76ers head coach Doc Rivers. "I didn't see that 21 which tells you how efficient he was being.
"I thought he did a great job of facilitating tonight as well. The brace bothers him, there's no doubt about that. He's gonna have to wear it for a couple more weeks I think, hopefully, less, but he's getting through it, and he's doing the best that he can."
In 2020-21, Embiid is averaging 29.4 points, 11.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game for the 76ers – who are top of the Eastern Conference alongside the Brooklyn Nets.
On wearing a knee brace, Embiid added: "It just feels like every shot that I take, I just have a hitch and it's not a full motion or it's not as smooth as it was in the past, even though the makes, when I make him. I just got to get used to it and get back to where I was before.
"When you have a brace cutting that blood flow and blood circulation on your legs, my legs get tired fast. It's an adjustment, but it's there to protect me so I just got to keep doing it."
The 28-year-old posted 40 points and 13 rebounds in a superb individual performance but his efforts were in vain as the Sixers slipped to a third successive loss to start the campaign.
With a talented squad expected pre-season to be among the league's strongest this term, a 0-3 return so far has been a shock to the system for the 76ers.
Embiid, who has been struggling with a foot issue following a plantar fasciitis injury sustained before the team's lead-in training camp, says he is still heading back to full fitness, but stresses he can do more in spite of that.
"Obviously, I'm not playing at my best," he stated. "We're not winning. Tonight was a start, but we got to find ways to win, so I need to play better.
"I'm still trying to work my way back. Coming into training camp, I hadn't done anything in like two months.
"So, it really slowed me down, but [I'm] still trying to work my way back. Hopefully, everything goes back to normal."
The Sixers will hope to dodge an 0-4 record when they welcome the Indiana Pacers to face them on Monday.
Embiid was questionable for Thursday's clash after dislocating his finger in a 120-113 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday.
The All-Star dislocated his left ring finger in the opening quarter, however, he continued and finished with 18 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
Embiid has been averaging 23.4 points, 12.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game for Eastern Conference contenders the 76ers (24-14) this season.
