Joel Embiid scores 32 to help 76ers hold off Hornets

Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers had another big game against the host Charlotte Hornets, scoring 32 points in Wednesday night’s 110-106 victory.

Seth Curry chipped in with 23 points and Tobias Harris had 18 for the 76ers, who have won four of their past five games. Embiid made 15 of 19 free throws.

Gordon Hayward poured in 31 points to pace Charlotte. The Hornets also received clutch contributions from Kelly Oubre Jr. (22 points, 10 rebounds), Miles Bridges (20 points) and Cody Martin (12 points).

The teams played twice across three nights in the same arena, with Philadelphia prevailing 127-124 in overtime behind Embiid’s season-high 43 points on Monday night.

Again, it was mostly a tight game throughout, though the 76ers built an 80-71 lead midway through the third quarter. Charlotte closed within a point at 82-81 by the end of the quarter.

In a span of about four minutes in the fourth quarter, there were four lead changes and three ties. That set the stage for P.J. Washington’s 3 (accounting for his first points of the game) that gave Charlotte a 98-97 lead. But the 76ers answered with seven straight points, five of them from Embiid, to open a 105-98 lead with 1:53 left and held on the rest of the way.

Charlotte played its third game in a row minus starters LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier and Miles Plumlee and reserve Jalen McDaniels because of COVID protocols. Ish Smith was absent for the second straight game with the same reason listed.

–Field Level Media