Embiid, Simmons lead 76ers over short-handed Raptors

Joel Embiid had 27 points and 11 rebounds, Ben Simmons added 26 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists and the Philadelphia 76ers routed the short-handed Toronto Raptors 126-101 on Saturday night.

JJ Redick added 22 points for the 76ers, who pulled within 2½ games of first-place Toronto in the Atlantic Division.

Pascal Siakam scored 26 points and Kyle Lowry added 20 for the Raptors, who slipped to 25-10. Toronto played without two-time defensive player of the year Kawhi Leonard, as well as Serge Ibaka and Jonas Valanciunas.

Toronto Raptors' Kyle Lowry, right, cannot get a shot past Philadelphia 76ers' Jonah Bolden during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018, in Philadelphia. (AP PhotoMatt Slocum)

Leonard was held out of the lineup to rest on the second game of a back-to-back after scoring a season-high 37 points in the Raptors' 126-110 home win over Cleveland on Friday night. Toronto coach Nick Nurse said prior to Saturday's contest that Leonard may be available for the second game of a back-to-back going forward.

Ibaka missed his third straight contest with a sore right knee, while Valanciunas is sidelined for at least three more weeks after having thumb surgery. Lowry and Danny Green returned after missing time with injuries. Lowry sat out the last four contests with a sore left thigh and Green watched Friday's win with a sore left knee.

It was Philadelphia's third victory in the last 23 games against the Raptors.

Toronto Raptors' Pascal Siakam, right, goes up for a shot against Philadelphia 76ers' Mike Muscala during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018, in Philadelphia. (AP PhotoMatt Slocum)

The Raptors led by as many as seven in the opening half and were within range entering the break trailing 65-59. But the 76ers took advantage of Toronto's many missing players in the second half, methodically pulling away.

Philadelphia led by as many as 25 points in the fourth quarter.

FULTZ UPDATE

Philadelphia 76ers' Ben Simmons goes up for a dunk during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018, in Philadelphia. (AP PhotoMatt Slocum)

The 76ers are unsure if Markelle Fultz will play again this season.

The 20-year-old Fultz was diagnosed this month with thoracic outlet syndrome and is doing physical therapy in Los Angeles. General manager Elton Brand said prior to Saturday's game against Toronto that he has no timetable for Fultz's return to basketball activities.

Brand said it was "to be determined" if Fultz will play again this season.

Philadelphia 76ers' Ben Simmons, left, goes up for a shot against Toronto Raptors' Pascal Siakam during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018, in Philadelphia. (AP PhotoMatt Slocum)

"I can't say right now," Brand said.

The GM expects to update Fultz's situation in "a few weeks."

Fultz was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft, but his career has been sidetracked by injuries and ineffectiveness.

Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid, top, hangs on the rim after a dunk during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018, in Philadelphia. (AP PhotoMatt Slocum)

TIP-INS

Raptors: The Raptors won both previous meetings between the teams this season, 129-112 on Oct. 30, and 113-102 on Dec. 5. Both of those games were in Toronto, where the Raptors have won 13 in a row over Philadelphia. . Leonard has never lost in 12 career meetings with Philadelphia.

76ers: Former Eagles receiver Freddie Mitchell rang the ceremonial Liberty Bell in the pregame. . The teams will play once more in the regular season, on Feb. 5 in Philadelphia.

UP NEXT

Raptors: At Miami on Wednesday.

76ers: Start five-game road trip at Boston on Tuesday night.

More AP NBA: https://www.apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Paolo Banchero had 31 points and 14 rebounds, Jalen Suggs added 24 points and the Orlando Magic handed Cleveland the worst playoff loss in franchise history, winning 121-83 on Thursday night to cut the Cavaliers’ lead to 2-1 in their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Franz Wagner finished with 16 points and eight assists for the Magic, who led by 43 points in the fourth quarter on the way to the third-largest margin of victory in a playoff game. They earned their first playoff victory since 2019 and the first on their home floor since April 26, 2011.

They can even the series with a victory at home Sunday.

Jarrett Allen had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Cavaliers, who shot 39% from the field and 23.5% from 3-point range. Caris LeVert added 15 points and Donovan Mitchell had 13 points and seven assists.

76ERS 125, KNICKS 114

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid scored 50 points, making all four 3-point attempts and scoring 18 in a potential series-shifting third quarter to lead Philadelphia to a win over New York in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Embiid boldly stated “we’re going to win this series” after the 76ers dropped Game 2.

With one of the finest postseason efforts of his career, Embiid became the third player to ever score 50 points against the Knicks in the postseason and kept the hope of a Philadelphia series comeback very much alive.

The Knicks lead the series 2-1. Game 4 is Sunday in Philadelphia.

Embiid was 13 of 19 from the floor overall, made 19 of 21 free throws and hit five 3-pointers.

NUGGETS 112, LAKERS 105

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Aaron Gordon had 29 points and 15 rebounds, Nikola Jokic added 24 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists, and Denver moved to the brink of the second round with a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of their first-round series..

Jamal Murray scored 22 points as the defending NBA champion Nuggets won their 11th consecutive meeting with LeBron James and the Lakers in dominating style.

Michael Porter Jr. added 20 points for Denver, which took control in the third quarter and cruised through the final minutes to its fifth straight road win over Los Angeles, starting with its sweep of last season’s Western Conference finals.

Game 4 is Saturday night in Los Angeles. No NBA team has ever rallied from an 0-3 playoff deficit.

Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) makes a shot as he gets past Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) during the second half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)