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SUNDAY, APRIL 18, 2021 Embiid dominates as Sixers beat Clippers

Utah rallies without Mitchell • Durant powers Nets past Hornets

LOS ANGELES: scored 36 37 points, nine rebounds and six assists. points and grabbed 14 rebounds as the Kawhi Leonard missed his fourth NBA East-leading straight game for the Clippers with a snapped the Los Angeles Clippers’ sev- sore right foot. “I thought we did a en-game winning streak with a 106-103 good job,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue win on Friday. said. “Overall, I like the way we fought Embiid became the first Philadelphia and competed.” player since 2006 to score 35-plus Philadelphia roared out to a 20-3 lead points in three straight games as the in the first quarter, but the Clippers Cameroonian center has carried the clawed their way back in the third to cut offensive load since returning to the the margin to just three points with 2:50 starting lineup two weeks ago. left. Los Angeles then took their first lead Over the past half dozen games of the game in the fourth when Patrick Embiid is averaging over 30 points Patterson nailed a three to make it 91-90. and nine-plus rebounds per game But the 76ers dominated the game on with his best performance coming the boards and in the paint and shooting Wednesday when he ran roughshod guard drained a three over the Brooklyn Nets for 39 points pointer with 3:38 remaining to make it and 13 boards. 97-94 as they never trailed again. But it is in the last three that Embiid In Salt Lake City, Utah’s two-time All- has really shined. The last Sixer to score Star Donovan Mitchell scored 22 points more than 35 points in three straight before leaving with a sprained right contests was Allen Iverson in 2006. ankle early in the third quarter, but the Embiid heard muted chants of “MVP, Jazz still stormed back to beat the MVP” on Friday from the crowd of 4,100 Indiana Pacers 119-111. Bojan at the Wells Fargo Center, the number of Bogdanovic led the Jazz with 24 points, spectators limited due to COVID-19 and Jordan Clarkson scored 18 as Utah health restrictions in Philadelphia. won for the 13th time in 16 games. “I don’t think teams really know Utah rallied for the win despite what to do when guarding him,” team- Mitchell leaving less than four minutes PHILADELPHIA: Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts during a game against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday at Wells Fargo Center mate said of Embiid. “I into the third quarter after landing awk- in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. — AFP think he’s clearly the MVP this season. wardly on this right foot while attempt- He’s been so dominant. I don’t know ing to a pass. Mitchell walked gin- the way we responded with Donovan Blazers six-time all-star Damian Also, Joe Harris scored 26 points and how to stop him.” gerly to the dressing room with the help going down.” Lillard sat out Friday’s game due to a Kevin Durant poured in 25 points as the Furkan Korkmaz finished with 18 of some of his teammates. The Jazz said Elsewhere, Norman Powell drained right hamstring injury. Lillard is having a second place Brooklyn Nets defeated points on five-of-12 shooting from that Mitchell would undergo an MRI to the clutch game winner with 22 seconds standout season averaging 28.7 points the Charlotte Hornets 130-115 to keep beyond the arc as Philadelphia snapped determine the severity of the injury. remaining as the short-handed Portland and 7.7 assists. Anfernee Simons added pace with the Sixers atop the standings. Los Angeles’ seven-game win streak. Trail Blazers came from behind to beat 16 points for the Blazers, who snapped a Josh Jackson scored a team-high 29 Simmons added 12 points, nine rebounds ‘Makes us go’ the host San Antonio Spurs 107-106. CJ two-game losing streak. DeMar points as the beat the and six assists, and had 11 “Donovan is so important to our McCollum scored 29 points while Powell DeRozan finished with 26 points and struggling Oklahoma City 110-104, points and seven assists in the win. team,” point guard Mike Conley said. delivered 22 for Portland, who had lost added 10 assists for the Spurs, who have handing the Thunder their ninth consec- Paul George paced the Clippers with “He’s what makes us go. I was proud of four of their last five games. lost two straight. utive defeat. — AFP