Embiid dominates as Sixers tame Timberwolves
Joel Embiid scored a season-high 51 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and the Philadelphia 76ers used a big fourth quarter to close out the Minnesota Timberwolves for a 127-113 win. Tyrese Maxey scored 35 points as Philadelphia (19-8) won for the seventh time in eight games. Minnesota (20-6) got 27 points from Anthony Edwards, 23 points from Karl-Anthony Towns and 21 from Jaden McDaniels. The Timberwolves entered the contest as winners of nine of its last 10 games and possessors of the league's best record. It was Embiid's seventh career game with at least 50 points. He also recorded his 12th straight game with 30 or more points and 10-plus rebounds. It is the NBA's longest such streak since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did it in 16 straight games for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1971-72 season. The only other players to have 12 or more games of 30-10 in NBA history besides Embiid and Abdul-Jabbar are Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor and Walt Bellamy. A game that was billed as a clash of defensive styles turned toward the Sixers during an impressive display of offensive moves by Embiid in the third quarter. He scored 19 of Philadelphia's 26 points in the period and kept the Sixers in the lead at 90-87 going into the fourth. Maxey scored 15 points in the final quarter, most of that coming during a five-minute stretch at the beginning of the period when Embiid was on the bench. No other Philadelphia player scored in double figures for the second game in a row. (AP)