Monday 11 February 2019 06:51, UK
Joel Embiid scored 37 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 143-120 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.
Embiid's efforts ensured it was the 23rd time this season that he has scored at least 30 points and claimed 10 rebounds - the most by any Philadelphia player since Charles Barkley managed it 27 times in 1987-88.
Tobias Harris added 22 points for his new team while JJ Redick had 21 for the Sixers, who won their second game in a row to move to 36-20 in the East.
Kyle Kuzma led the Lakers with 39 points while JaVale McGee added 21 points and 13 rebounds. Brandon Ingram also had 19. LeBron James contributed 18 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, but the Lakers (28-28) are now at .500 at down in 10th place in the West.
Kuzma was electrifying in the first quarter with 23 points as L.A. pulled ahead 40-39. It was the most points scored in a single quarter for Kuzma in his brief career, and the most by any Laker since Kobe Bryant also had 23 in the first against the Memphis Grizzlies in March 2008.
But it was Harris who kept the Sixers close by hitting his first six shots and finishing with 14 points in the opening period, and the Sixers then reeled off a late 17-2 run - with Embiid taking his first-half tally to 25 - to take a 76-67 lead into half-time.
Philadelphia's new-look offense stayed hot throughout the third quarter to build a 15-point advantage, with backup point guard T.J. McConnell knocking down a three-pointer with 0.7 seconds remaining for a 109-94 lead.
Sixers reserve forward Mike Scott then made back-to-back buckets early in the fourth as the Sixers built their lead and although James hit a jumper to get the Lakers to within 120-108 with 6:58 remaining, a 7-0 spurt put the Sixers back ahead comfortably at 127-108 and they saw the game out with ease.
