Embiid gets 37 and 22 to lead 76ers past Celtics 118-115

Joel Embiid had 37 points, 22 rebounds and a key block on Kyrie Irving with 35 seconds remaining, and Jimmy Butler scored 15 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter to lead the streaking Philadelphia 76ers over the Boston Celtics 118-115 on Wednesday night.

Tobias Harris added 21 points for the 76ers, who won their sixth game in a row and avoided a season sweep by the Celtics. Philadelphia (47-25) holds the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race, three games ahead of idle Indiana and four in front of fifth-place Boston.

Irving scored 36 points for the Celtics.

Boston Celtics' Kyrie Irving, center, and coach Brad Stevens, left, walk the court for a timeout after Jimmy Butler scored a basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 20, 2019, in Philadelphia. Philadelphia won 118-115. (AP PhotoMatt Slocum)

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

Boston Celtics' Kyrie Irving (11) goes up for a shot past Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid (21) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 20, 2019, in Philadelphia. (AP PhotoMatt Slocum)

Boston Celtics' Marcus Smart gestures to the crowd as he is escorted off the court after committing a flagrant foul against Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 20, 2019, in Philadelphia. Philadelphia won 118-115. (AP PhotoMatt Slocum)

Philadelphia 76ers' Jimmy Butler, center, celebrates after scoring a basket against Boston Celtics' Kyrie Irving during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 20, 2019, in Philadelphia. Philadelphia won 118-115. (AP PhotoMatt Slocum)

Philadelphia 76ers' Jimmy Butler, left, tries to pass the ball as Boston Celtics' Kyrie Irving, center, and Jayson Tatum defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 20, 2019, in Philadelphia. (AP PhotoMatt Slocum)

Boston Celtics' Aron Baynes dunks as Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid (21) watches during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 20, 2019, in Philadelphia. (AP PhotoMatt Slocum)

Boston Celtics' Aron Baynes goes up for a dunk during the first half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Wednesday, March 20, 2019, in Philadelphia. (AP PhotoMatt Slocum)

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)