Joel Embiid returned after missing four games and scored 30 points, including all 11 of Philadelphia’s points in the final four minutes, to lift the 76ers to a 104-101 win over the visiting Atlanta Hawks on Monday and extend their winning streak to three games.
Embiid, who had been out with a left mid-foot sprain, was 9-for-18 from the field and 12-for-13 from the line with eight rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocks.
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He put the Sixers ahead to stay when he scored on a fadeaway jumper from the top of the key with 18.6 seconds remaining for a 101-100 lead. Embiid then broke up Atlanta’s attempt to win the game by swatting away a lob pass from Trae Young with seven seconds left.
Philadelphia also got 24 points and 10 rebounds from Tobias Harris and 21 points and seven assists from Shake Milton.
Atlanta got 18 points from Young and De’Andre Hunter along with 17 points from Dejounte Murray. But the Hawks failed to hold a three-point lead in the final two minutes, partly because of seven fourth-quarter turnovers. Atlanta has lost three in a row.
Young also had 10 assists and surpassed Doc Rivers, the current Philadelphia coach, with his 139th game of 10-plus assists for most in Hawks franchise history.
Atlanta got center Clint Capela back after he missed two games with a toothache. He finished with 10 points and 16 rebounds.
The Hawks led by 16 points when Hunter made a turnaround jumper made it 50-34 when Hunter took a pass from Young and dropped in a turnaround jumper. But the Sixers outscored Atlanta 17-5, with Embiid getting eight points, and cut the lead to 55-51 at the break.
Atlanta regained the momentum in the third quarter and had a 10-point lead on a 3-pointer by Young with 9:38 left. But the Sixers clawed their way back and tied the game 75-75 on Embiid’s three-point play and the game was tied 81-81 entering the last quarter.
Philadelphia leads the season series 2-1. The final regular-season meeting will be April 7 in Atlanta.
Atlanta plays again Wednesday at Orlando. The Sixers start a three-game road trip on Wednesday at Cleveland.
–Field Level Media
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