Joel Embiid had 42 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and four blocked shots to lift the host Philadelphia 76ers past the New Orleans Pelicans 117-107 on Tuesday.
Embiid shot 12 of 24 from the field and 18 of 20 from the free-throw line. It was his sixth game with at least 40 points this season.
Tobias Harris added 33 points and 11 rebounds and Furkan Korkmaz contributed 13 points for the Sixers. Tyrese Maxey chipped in with 10.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the Pelicans with 31 points, Willy Hernangomez added a career-high 29 points to go along with 10 rebounds and Jaxson Hayes had 15 points. Herb Jones also added 12, but the Pelicans had their two-game winning streak snapped.
On the second leg of a back-to-back, the Pelicans were unexpectedly short-handed without Brandon Ingram (ankle), Josh Hart (ankle), Devonte’ Graham (ankle) and Jonas Valanciunas (rest).
The Pelicans controlled the tempo throughout the first half and took a 58-50 lead into the locker room. Hernangomez grabbed an offensive rebound, scored at the buzzer and paced the Pelicans with 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting.
Embiid (18) and Harris (17) kept the Sixers close.
The Sixers tightened defensively and tied the game at 86 at the end of the third.
Philadelphia slowly began to pull away, going ahead 100-97 after two free throws by Embiid with 7:05 left in the fourth.
Alexander-Walker made several difficult shots in the second half to keep the pesky Pelicans within striking distance.
Embiid made two more free throws and added a jumper, and the Sixers held a 104-97 advantage with 5:58 remaining. Hernangomez shot an airball from 3-point territory and Embiid responded with a jump hook for a nine-point lead.
Embiid dropped in a 15-foot jumper with 2:47 to go and the Sixers pulled ahead 112-100, enough of a cushion to complete the victory.
The Sixers played without key injured players Seth Curry (ankle), Shake Milton (back) and Danny Green (hip).
–Field Level Media
