LeBron James became the second player to 38,000 career NBA points before Russell Westbrook's failed final play as the Los Angeles Lakers lost 113-112 to the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.

With the Sixers leading by one point, Westbrook rebounded after Joel Embiid missed a two-point shot with 16 seconds remaining, opting to advance the ball, rather than take a timeout, before failing to get a clean shot or pass away as the clock expired under defense from Embiid and Georges Niang.

The finish took some gloss off James' significant achievement, reaching the 38,000 career points mark in the first quarter, before finishing the game with 35 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds.

Only one player in NBA history has more career points than James and that is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with 38,387. James is on track to surpass Abdul-Jabbar next month.

The game was tight throughout, with Embiid top scoring for the Sixers with 35 points on 12-of-21 shooting from the field with two three-pointers. Embiid also had 11 rebounds and four assists. James Harden contributed 24 points, seven rebounds and 13 assists.

Westbrook played 34 minutes of the bench with 20 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists but four turnovers. That marked Westbrook's 198th career triple-double.

Jokic sinks late three to clinch Nugs win

Back-to-back NBA MVP Nikola Jokic landed a step-back three-pointer with 1.2 seconds left to secure the Denver Nuggets a 119-116 victory over the Orlando Magic.

Jokic finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists for his 12th triple-double of the season, with the Nugs clinching their 13th straight home win to remain top of the Western Conference.

Aaron Gordon added 25 points with eight rebounds and five assists, while Jamal Murray delivered 18 points with three three-pointers and seven assists.

Lillard leads Blazers past Mavs missing Doncic

Damian Lillard backed up with 40 points for the Portland Trail Blazers to complete a two-game back-to-back sweep of the Dallas Mavericks, 140-123.

Lillard shot 10-of-17 from the field and four-of-nine from three-point range with six assists for the Blazers, who had lost five in a row prior to the two games against Dallas.

The Mavs rested Luka Doncic after his season-low 15 points in Saturday's game, having starred in Thursday's double overtime win over the Lakers.

Ja Morant scored 23 points including an incredible one-handed dunk of the year candidate to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to their ninth straight win, 130-112 over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday.

Morant drove forward, reached back with his right arm and launched a massive dunk with 4:20 remaining in the third quarter over Jalen Smith to open up a 20-point lead.

The Grizzlies guard finished the game with 23 points on seven-of-17 shooting from the field, with 10 assists and three rebounds.

Morant is averaging 28.7 points per game during the Grizzlies' nine-game win streak.

Desmond Bane was solid as always, going five-of-11 from three-point range in his team-high 25 points.

The victory means Memphis are tied with the Denver Nuggets at 29-13 for the best record in the Western Conference. The win was the Grizzlies' fourth straight on the road.

The Pacers, missing Tyrese Haliburton, were led by Chris Duarte with 25 points despite a hand concern.

Embiid seals Sixers victory over Jazz

Joel Embiid's jumper with 5.7 seconds remaining clinched a 118-117 victory for the Philadelphia 76ers over the Utah Jazz.

Embiid finished the game with 31 points on nine-of-18 shooting from the field with two three-pointers, seven rebounds and two blocks, while James Harden added 30 points and 11 assists.

Utah trailed for most of the game but hit the lead at 115-114 with 33 seconds left, with Jordan Clarkson scoring 38 points with nine rebounds.

Doncic kept to season low as Blazers fire

Luka Doncic was kept to a season-low 15 points as Damian Lillard led the Portland Trail Blazers to a 136-119 win over the Dallas Mavericks.

Doncic was benched with seven minutes to go by Mavs head coach Jason Kidd, in a game where the Blazers snapped a five-game losing run, having led 71-56 at half-time.

Lillard was exceptional with 36 points on 11-of-20 shooting with four three-pointers and 10 assists, while center Jusuf Nurkic added 22 points and 11 rebounds.

The Miami Heat broke the NBA record for most free throws in a game without a miss as they defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 112-111 at home on Tuesday.

With starters Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry all out due to various injuries, Jimmy Butler was tasked with leading the offense, and he was aggressive from the jump.

He scored only six of his 17 field goal attempts, but finished with a game-high 35 points after going a perfect 23-of-23 from the free throw line. In doing so, he finished one free throw behind James Harden (24-of-24 in December 2019) for the most in one game without a miss.

Butler was not alone in his marksmanship from the line, with his team-mates also combining to shoot 17-of-17, setting the new team record for 40 free throws without a miss.

The Heat star also added seven rebounds, four assists, four steals and three blocks in a spectacular two-way performance, while Victor Oladipo chipped in 19 points (seven-of-16 shooting) with four rebounds, four assists and two steals off the bench.

For the Thunder, Josh Giddey collected his second triple-double of the season with 18 points (eight-of-18), 15 rebounds and 10 assists.

Miami are now 22-20, and sit eighth in the Eastern Conference.

Embiid and Harden dominate the Pistons

The stars of the Philadelphia 76ers made light work of the visiting Detroit Pistons, with Joel Embiid and James Harden both enjoying big nights in a 147-116 victory.

Embiid had 36 points (12-of-20 shooting), 11 rebounds and two blocks in just 24 minutes, while Harden posted a strong triple-double with 16 points (six-of-seven shooting), 15 assists and 12 rebounds.

The 76ers have won five of their past six outings to improve their record to 25-15, placing them fifth in the East, 3.5 games behind the league-leading Boston Celtics (29-12).

Mitchell heroics not enough for the Cavaliers

Donovan Mitchell was a man on a mission in his first road game against the Utah Jazz since being traded in the offseason, but the Cleveland Cavaliers ultimately went down 116-114.

Mitchell scored a game-high 46 points on 14-of-27 shooting with six assists, five rebounds and three steals, but his team could not stop the duo of Jordan Clarkson and Lauri Markkanen.

Clarkson top-scored for Utah with 32 points on 11-of-19 shooting, while Markkanen continued to build a case for Most Improved Player as he put up 25 points (six-of-18) and 16 rebounds.

Doc Rivers compared James Harden's showing against the Detroit Pistons to something akin to prime Magic Johnson.

Harden finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in a 123-111 win for the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.

In the process, Harden surpassed 24,000 career regular-season points, becoming the 27th player to hit that landmark.

And Rivers believes Harden deserves to be compared to the very best.

"I hate to you use this example, but when he's playing like this, it's like having a scoring Magic Johnson on the floor," Rivers told reporters. 

"When he runs our team with this kind of pace and he scores and gets assists, we're really good."

The Sixers needed others to step up in the absence of Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey also delivered alongside Harden, scoring 23 points.

"Our defense was pretty good, we took care of the ball and I think everyone competed hard," Maxey said.

"Even someone like Paul Reed comes in and gets nine points and eight offensive rebounds. He plays with so much energy that the other team can't keep up."

Philadelphia are 24-15 for the season and sit fifth in the Eastern Conference, which is propped up by the 11-32 Pistons.

"That's a team playing for a championship and we shot ourselves in the foot," said a frustrated Pistons coach Dwane Casey. 

"We had 22 turnovers – the same number we had in the last game against them. We can't give them points like that."

Kevin Durant went down injured before Royce O'Neale scored the game-winning two-pointer with 3.2 seconds left as the Brooklyn Nets edged the Miami Heat 102-101 on Sunday.

Durant exited late in the third quarter with a right knee issue after Jimmy Butler fell on him, but the Nets did enough without him to improve to 27-13 overall and second spot in the Eastern Conference. Brooklyn have won 18 of their last 20 games.

Butler put the Heat ahead 101-100 with a dunk with 1:12 remaining, but O'Neale had the final say with a putback after Kyrie Irving had missed a 30-foot three-point attempt.

Irving top scored for Brooklyn with 28 points, including six-of-15 from three-point range with six assists, while Nic Claxton contributed strongly again with 13 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.

Durant managed 17 points on five-of-11 shooting from the field with five rebounds in his 30 minutes on the court.

Butler top-scored for the Heat with 26 points, but shot nine-of-21 from the field with two turnovers, while Tyler Herro finished with 24 points before limping off late.

Bam Adebayo was also limited by a right-hand contusion, scoring 10 points with eight rebounds.

Harden records triple-double in 76ers win

James Harden recorded a triple-double and became the 27th NBA player with 24,000 career points as the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Detroit Pistons 123-111.

Harden finished with 20 points on seven-of-14 shooting, including three-of-five from beyond the arc, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.

Tyrese Maxey also came to the fore for the Joel Embiid-less 76ers, while Pistons guard Killian Hayes had a game-high 26 points, with four three-pointers.

Suns slump to sixth straight loss

The Cleveland Cavaliers consigned the short-handed Phoenix Suns to their sixth straight defeat with a 112-98 victory as Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland scored 22 points each.

Mitchell, who scored a season-high 71 points in last weeks' OT win over the Chicago Bulls, made seven-of-12 from the field, while Garland dished off seven assists in a fine display.

The Suns were missing their backcourt of Chris Paul and Devin Booker but were within one point at three-quarter time before fading.

Duane Washington top scored for Phoenix in 25 minutes off the bench with 25 points including five triples.

Zach Lavine torched the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night to deliver a 126-112 road win for the Chicago Bulls.

Lavine finished two points off his season-high with 41 points on 14-of-19 shooting, and he made history with his marksmanship from long range.

He hit 11 of his 13 three-point attempts (84.6 per cent), joining Stephen Curry as the only players in NBA history to hit at least 11 three-pointers in a game at over 80 per cent efficiency.

Over his past five games, Lavine is averaging 27.6 points while shooting 54.8 per cent from the field, 55.3 per cent from deep and 96.2 per cent at the free throw line.

Against the 76ers, Lavine was supported well by third-year forward and former top-five draft pick Patrick Williams, who scored 18 points on seven-of-11 shooting with six rebounds. 

It is the latest impressive sign from Williams, who had his best game of the season on Wednesday with 22 points (six-of-eight shooting), seven rebounds and two steals in an upset win over the Brooklyn Nets.

The 76ers were without franchise centrepiece Joel Embiid, and James Harden put together a poor performance, finishing four-of-17 from the field for his 17 points and 11 assists.

Chicago have won seven of their past 10 to improve their record to 18-21 – two games behind the Eastern Conference's eight seed, currently occupied by the Miami Heat (20-19).

Lakers win fourth on the trot

LeBron James was at his playmaking best in the Los Angeles Lakers' 130-114 victory on the road against the Atlanta Hawks.

James had 17 points and 10 assists at three-quarter time, and after the Hawks cut the margin to 10 points early in the last period, James responded by scoring eight of the Lakers' next 10 points to put the game to bed.

He shot 10-of-19 for his 25 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds, while Russell Westbrook flirted with another triple-double off the bench, posting 18 points (seven-of-14), 11 rebounds and nine assists.

Nuggets take top spot in the West

The Denver Nuggets (26-13) are now alone atop the Western Conference standings after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 121-108.

It is the Nuggets' ninth win from their past 11 fixtures, and they were once again carried by reigning back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic with 28 points (10-of-17 shooting), 15 rebounds and 10 assists.

Jokic averaged 29.2 points, 12.3 rebounds and 10.1 assists during the month of December as he continues to build a case to become the first MVP three-peat since Larry Bird from 1984-86.

Joel Embiid has been ruled out by the Philadelphia 76ers for the game against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday with "foot soreness".

Embiid had landed awkwardly in the fourth quarter of the Sixers' 120-111 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday.

The 28-year-old center was assessed by the Sixers team doctors on Wednesday and was ruled out despite initially being listed as questionable.

Sixers head coach Doc Rivers said there were no long-term issues and that Embiid was day-to-day moving forward.

"He didn't talk about a lot of soreness right afterwards," Rivers told reporters prior to Wednesday's game.

"Then, later that night, he said his foot was bothering him and was sore, and then more the next day."

Embiid was the Eastern Conference player of the month for December after averaging 35.4 points on 54.5 per cent shooting from the field for the month.

The New Orleans Pelicans will likely be without franchise player Zion Williamson for at least the next week after suffering a hamstring injury in Monday's 120-111 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

It was late in the third quarter when the injury occurred, with the Pelicans trailing 84-81, as Williamson pushed the ball in transition before sharply pulling up, holding his right hamstring.

He had 26 points on 10-of-12 shooting, adding seven assists and six rebounds in his 28 minutes before the incident, with the 76ers taking the fourth period 36-30 following his departure.

Speaking after the game, Pelicans head coach Willie Green confirmed the injury as a right hamstring strain.

"It was right at a pivotal moment in the game," he said. "We'll get some imaging and look at him and hopefully he's okay. It was a tough loss for us."

Williamson has played in 28 of the Pelicans' 37 games up to this point after missing the entire 2021-22 season, and had rediscovered his best form in December.

He averaged 29.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 61.3 per cent from the field during his 12 games in December, picking up the slack while team-mate Brandon Ingram has been sidelined.

Joel Embiid ended up as the star of the 76ers' win, scoring a game-high 42 points with 11 rebounds and five assists.

Luka Doncic put up arguably the most gaudy stat-line of the season in the Dallas Mavericks' 126-121 home victory against the New York Knicks on Tuesday.

Doncic ended up with 60 points on 21-of-31 shooting, 21 rebounds, 10 assists, two steals and a block in the virtuoso performance, and the Mavericks needed every bit of it to come back from a late deficit.

Trailing 112-103 with less than 30 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Dallas staged a miraculous recovery, but still needed some Luka magic to send the game to overtime.

With four seconds on the clock, trailing by three, Doncic was sent to the line for two free throws. He made the first, before intentionally missing the second, tracking down his own rebound and putting it back in to tie the game.

He scored seven of the Mavericks' 11 points in the overtime period to complete the comeback, finishing the game on a 23-9 run.

The win is Dallas' fourth in a row, and improves their record to 19-16 to sit seventh in the Western Conference.

Despite the loss for the Knicks – their fourth in a row – there were encouraging signs for the future of their backcourt. With Jalen Brunson missing his first game of the season due to a hip injury, Immanuel Quickley was handed the start. 

He had 11 of his 15 assists in the first half before struggling down the stretch as he was asked to play a game-high 51 minutes, while Quentin Grimes top-scored for New York with 33 points (12-of-25).

LeBron's Lakers get back on track

The Los Angeles Lakers are back in the winner's list after LeBron James led them to a 129-110 road win against the Orlando Magic.

Entering the contest on a four-game losing streak since the injury of Anthony Davis, James was terrific, scoring a team-high 28 points on 12-of-24 shooting with seven rebounds and five assists.

He was supported well by Davis' replacement in the starting lineup, with Thomas Bryant chipping in 21 points (eight-of-10 shooting) and 10 rebounds, while Russell Westbrook tied Detlef Schrempf's all-time record for triple-doubles off the bench with 15 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists.

The Magic had won eight of their previous nine, but it was a tough outing for number one draft pick Paolo Banchero, scoring a career-low four points with five fouls in 22 minutes.

76ers waste incredible Embiid performance

The Philadelphia 76ers' winning streak has ended at eight games after a disappointing 116-111 loss to the Washington Wizards, despite Joel Embiid heroics.

Embiid, the back-to-back MVP runner-up, scored a game-high 48 points on 17-of-31 shooting, adding nine rebounds, three blocks and three steals to finish with a plus/minus of plus eight in his 36 minutes.

Unfortunately for Embiid, the 76ers were outscored by 13 in the 12 minutes he was on the bench, with Kristaps Porzingis' 24 points (seven-of-15), 10 rebounds, three blocks and two steals leading the way for the Wizards.

The win may be coming at a cost, however, as All-Star Bradley Beal left in the fourth quarter after suffering a hamstring injury.

Philadelphia 76ers point guard James Harden did not deny the report that he is mulling a potential return to the Houston Rockets while addressing the comments after his side's 119-112 Christmas Day win against the New York Knicks.

The 76ers received terrific performances from both Harden, with 29 points (seven-of-16 shooting) and 13 assists, as well as back-to-back MVP runner-up Joel Embiid, who scored a team-high 35 points (12-of-22) with eight rebounds.

But despite improving their winning streak to eight games, the biggest news from the day was the report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski claiming Harden is seriously considering leaving Philadelphia at the end of this season to head back to his former team.

His contract includes a player-option for next season, meaning he can opt out and become an unrestricted free agent.

Harden reportedly has fond memories of his time with the Rockets – where he won three consecutive scoring titles and one league MVP – despite forcing his way out of the franchise just two seasons ago

When asked about the report during his post-game media appearance, Harden made no long-term commitment to the 76ers, simply saying he is "excited" to be in Philadelphia.

"I'm here," he said. "We're playing very well, and I don’t know where that report came from, but I’m excited to be here, and we're playing very well. We're continuing to get better."

Harden is currently leading the NBA in assists at 10.9 per game, and has looked back to his All-NBA level recently, including in Friday's win over the Los Angeles Clippers where his triple-double included a career-high 21 assists.

Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden is considering a return to the Houston Rockets, according to reports.

Harden joined the 76ers in February in a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, just a year after forcing his way out of Houston.

The 33-year-old, 10-time All-Star impressed as Philadelphia made the playoffs, where they were eliminated by the Miami Heat, and he re-signed on a two-year $68.6million deal in July.

However, according to ESPN, Harden is open to moving back to the Rockets should he fail to agree fresh terms with the Sixers after this season is up.

Harden, who spent eight seasons with the Rockets between 2012 and 2021, and was named the NBA's MVP in 2018, has rediscovered something close to his best form in Philadelphia after struggling to settle in Brooklyn.

His 10.9 assists per game leads the NBA, while he has scored 21.4 points per game.

Harden accumulated 20 points, 11 rebounds and 21 assists and became the second player in 76ers history with a 20-assist triple-double in a win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday.

The Brooklyn Nets claimed a statement Eastern Conference victory over the Milwaukee Bucks to extend their win streak to eight games with a 118-100 triumph on Friday.

Kevin Durant top scored for the Nets with 24 points along with five rebounds and six assists, while Nic Claxton starred with 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

All five Nets' starters reached double-figure scoring, achieving that feat for the sixth time this season. The Nets' eight-game win streak matched the franchise's most since their relocation to Brooklyn a decade ago.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 26 points with 13 rebounds and seven assists for the Bucks but did not have a shot in the fourth quarter, with Ben Simmons dulling his output

Simmons finished the game with 12 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and three steals.

The Nets have surged into contention this month, improving to a 21-12 overall record after a 9-1 December. The Bucks are second in the east with a 22-10 record.

Antetokounmpo hurt his hand in a fall but X-rays revealed no major damage, according to head coach Mike Budenholzer.

Harden matches franchise assists record in 76ers win

James Harden matched the Philadelphia 76ers' franchise record for assists as part of a triple-double in their 119-114 win over the Los Angeles Clippers to sweep a seven-game homestand.

Harden finished the game with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 21 assists, matching Wilt Chamberlain and Mo Cheeks' franchise record for assists, as the 76ers rallied from a 20-point first-half deficit.

Joel Embiid top scored with 44 points with seven rebounds, while Kawhi Leonard continued his improved scoring form with 28 points and five assists for the Clippers.

Doncic scores season-high in Mavs win

Luka Doncic scored a season-high 50 points as the Dallas Mavericks overcame the Houston Rockets 112-106 with the Slovenian adding 17 in the fourth quarter.

Doncic shot 17-of-30 from the field including six three-pointers for his second career 50-point game, with his career best being 51 against the Clippers in February this year.

The Mavs point guard also had eight rebounds and 10 assists, while Jabari Smith Jr top scored for the Rockets with 24 points and 10 rebounds.

The Brooklyn Nets claimed a statement Eastern Conference victory over the Milwaukee Bucks to extend their win streak to eight games with a 118-100 triumph on Friday.

Kevin Durant top scored for the Nets with 24 points along with five rebounds and six assists, while Nic Claxton starred with 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

All five Nets' starters reached double-figure scoring, achieving that feat for the sixth time this season. The Nets' eight-game win streak matched the franchise's most since their relocation to Brooklyn a decade ago.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 26 points with 13 rebounds and seven assists for the Bucks but did not have a shot in the fourth quarter, with Ben Simmons dulling his output

Simmons finished the game with 12 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and three steals.

The Nets have surged into contention this month, improving to a 21-12 overall record after a 9-1 December. The Bucks are second in the east with a 22-10 record.

Antetokounmpo hurt his hand in a fall but X-rays revealed no major damage, according to head coach Mike Budenholzer.

Harden matches franchise assists record in 76ers win

James Harden matched the Philadelphia 76ers' franchise record for assists as part of a triple-double in their 119-114 win over the Los Angeles Clippers to sweep a seven-game homestand.

Harden finished the game with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 21 assists, matching Wilt Chamberlain and Mo Cheeks' franchise record for assists, as the 76ers rallied from a 20-point first-half deficit.

Joel Embiid top scored with 44 points with seven rebounds, while Kawhi Leonard continued his improved scoring form with 28 points and five assists for the Clippers.

Doncic scores season-high in Mavs win

Luka Doncic scored a season-high 50 points as the Dallas Mavericks overcame the Houston Rockets 112-106 with the Slovenian adding 17 in the fourth quarter.

Doncic shot 17-of-30 from the field including six three-pointers for his second career 50-point game, with his career best being 51 against the Clippers in February this year.

The Mavs point guard also had eight rebounds and 10 assists, while Jabari Smith Jr top scored for the Rockets with 24 points and 10 rebounds.

James Harden was left blown away after joining "rare company" by matching the Philadelphia 76ers franchise record of 21 assists in Friday's 119-114 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Harden joined Wilt Chamberlain and Mo Cheeks with the record, which was a career-high for the former MVP, in a game where the 76ers rallied from a 20-point first-half deficit.

The 33-year-old finished the game with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 21 assists and became the second player in 76ers history with a 20-assist triple-double, joining Chamberlain from 1968 against the Detroit Pistons.

"That's rare company," Harden told reporters. "Mo Cheeks was one of my coaches in OKC and then Wilt, I feel like he has every record.

"Just always and be in the conversation of some of the best basketball players to touch a basketball is a blessing. Hopefully, I can keep going and get more records."

Joel Embiid top scored for the 76ers with 44 points, shooting 18-of-30 from the field with seven rebounds and three assists. Harden regularly fed Embiid points throughout the game.

"I just do what I do," Harden said. "Honestly, I feel really good and just trying to get to that paint and they do a really good job of using their length.

"They're a really long team, they switch, they do a really good job of switching so I tried to press the paint and really try and find matchups that work in our advantage that really make the game easier for all of us and guys knock down shots, Joel did a really good job of getting to his spots. It was a total team effort."

Philadelphia head coach Doc Rivers heaped praise on Harden for sacrificing his scoring game.

"This is a generational scorer that has taken and decided to be a point guard, who still scores, but to be a point guard for this team," Rivers said.

"That's hard to do. A lot of people, most people, can’t do that, or will not do it is a better way of saying it. The fact that he is willingly doing it, running the team, organizing us, is huge for us."

Kyrie Irving's game-winner gave the Brooklyn Nets their fifth win in a row, and ninth from their past 10, after defeating the Toronto Raptors 119-116.

Irving was terrific on the offensive end, scoring a team-high 32 points on 13-of-22 shooting, with five assists and only one turnover. 

His big moment came after Scottie Barnes' two free throws tied the game at 116-116 with eight seconds to play, and after a smart foul from Fred VanVleet, the Nets had the ball out of bounds with just three seconds to find a shot.

But that would be all Irving would need, taking a few dribbles to his right before pulling it back for a three-pointer as the buzzer sounded.

Kevin Durant was at his efficient best, shooting 10-of-15 from the field for his 28 points, while Ben Simmons finished with 10 points, five rebounds and five assists.

It was the second consecutive strong outing from VanVleet in a loss, scoring 39 points on 14-of-24 shooting just two days after scoring 39 on 13-of-25 shooting against the Sacramento Kings.

The Nets began the season 1-5, but have recovered strongly to 18-12 and now occupy the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference through 30 games.

Embiid improves league-leading scoring average

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid scored a game-high 34 points in Friday's 118-106 win against the Golden State Warriors.

Embiid entered the game averaging 33.4 points per game – the best figure in the league – and improved it ever-so-slightly to 33.5 as he shot 11-of-23 from the field, adding 13 rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks.

He is narrowly ahead of Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic in second (33.0 points per game), with Embiid currently on track for the scoring title, and perhaps even league MVP, having finished runner-up in each of the past two seasons.

Edwards and the Timberwolves fight off SGA

The Minnesota Timberwolves had to deal with the third-leading scorer in the NBA, but got the job done thanks to a mature performance from franchise centerpiece Anthony Edwards.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, averaging 31.0 points per game, scored a game-high 35 on 11-of-23 shooting, with seven rebounds and five assists, but none of his Oklahoma City Thunder teammates scored more than 14 in the 112-110 loss.

For the Timberwolves, Edwards played a strong team game as he shot at least 50 per cent from the field (eight-of-16) and from three-point range (two-of-three) for his 19 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.

He was supported in fine fashion by Naz Reid, who finished one point away from his career-high with 28, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals.