Field Level Media
Mar 2, 2018
Joel Embiid had 23 points, 14 rebounds and three blocked shots to help the Philadelphia 76ers rally for a 110-99 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
Ersan Ilyasova and JJ Redick each added 18 points as the 76ers won for the ninth time in their past 11 games. Robert Covington scored 16 points and Ben Simmons contributed 15 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
Kemba Walker scored 31 points for the Hornets, who have dropped two straight following a five-game winning streak. Frank Kaminsky had 19 points off the Charlotte bench, and Nicolas Batum added 14 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists.
Walker has scored 20 or more points in 17 of the past 21 games.
The 76ers trailed by 14 points with just more than 15 minutes remaining. However, they dominated the fourth quarter by making 11 of 19 field-goal attempts and outscoring the Hornets 36-19.
Philadelphia used an 8-0 burst just before the midway point of the fourth quarter to take its first lead of the second half. Dario Saric and Ilyasova hit back-to-back 3-pointers to give the 76ers a 91-89 edge with 6:41 left.
Charlotte inched back ahead by a point before Philadelphia answered with a 10-4 push. Simmons and Ilyasova scored consecutive baskets to give the 76ers a 101-96 lead with 2:37 remaining before Walker drained a 3-pointer to move the Hornets within two.
Redick's basket gave Philadelphia a 103-99 edge with 1:34 to play, starting a game-ending 9-0 burst.
The 76ers trailed by eight at halftime but cut their deficit to 61-60 on Saric's basket with 8:36 remaining in the third quarter.
The Hornets responded with nine straight points with Walker driving for a layup to make it 70-60 with 5:32 left. The advantage reached 76-62 on a 3-pointer by Batum with 3:18 remaining before Philadelphia rattled off eight straight to move within six with 1:47 to play.
Walker scored 16 first-half points on 7-of-10 shooting as the Hornets led 56-48 at the break.
The All-Star guard tallied 12 points in the first quarter as Charlotte took a 30-27 lead. The Hornets stretched their lead to 44-34 on Kaminsky's 3-pointer with 6:18 remaining, and Batum later fed Kaminsky for a dunk that increased the advantage to 50-38 with 4:30 left.
Simmons' dunk with 5.7 seconds to go before halftime pulled Philadelphia within eight.
--Field Level Media