Joel Embiid had 35 points (18 in the paint) and 17 rebounds, and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 118-114.
James Harden’s driving layup answered Lauri Markkanen’s 3-pointer and put the 76ers back ahead for good with 3:20 left in the fourth quarter.
The Cavaliers got within 107-106 on Darius Garland’s 2 free throws with 1:43 to play, but Tyrese Maxey answered with a 3-pointer, and the Cavaliers got no closer than 110-108.
Maxey’s 2 free throws with 6.6 seconds left made it 118-114 and put it away.
During clutch time, the 76ers outscored the Cavaliers 15-13. Harden scored 6 of the 76ers’ 15 on 1 for 1 shooting and 4 for 4 at the line. In the fourth quarter, Harden had 4 of his 11 assists, 1 of them on a basket by Maxey that tied the game and 2 on baskets by DeAndre Jordan and Georges Niang that put the 76ers ahead.
Maxey scored 25 points on 9 for 15 shooting, and Harden added 21 points and 11 assists. The 76ers had 3 20-point scorers.
For the Cavaliers, Garland had 22 points and 7 assists but shot 5 for 15.
The 76ers shot 51.9% from the field and 37.5% from 3 to the Cavaliers’ 48.8% and 32.1%. The Cavaliers outscored the 76ers 41-13 off the bench. The Cavaliers outscored the 76ers 18-5 in 6 minutes with Love, LeVert, Goodwin, Brown and Windler on the floor together. Tobias Harris fouled out.