PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid had 32 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists and the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers overcame a 13-point deficit to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 110-102 on Friday night.
Embiid, who averaged 40 points and 11 rebounds in his previous four games, had 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the second half after 76ers star guard Tyrese Maxey left just before halftime with a left foot injury.
“He’s so good right now,” Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers said about Embiid. “Down the stretch the game slowed down so much for him. We told him exactly what we wanted him to do in the last six minutes and he was terrific.”
Maxey had 24 points, five assists and four rebounds before rolling his ankle while driving to the basket against Jevon Carter. Philadelphia said he will have an MRI Saturday. Rivers added that Maxey was already wearing a walking boot after the game.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 25 points and 14 rebounds, however, his struggles from the free-throw line — he went 4 of 15 — were amplified with each attempt in the second half by a raucous Philadelphia crowd.
He was so frustrated by his performance, that after the game he went back onto the court to practice free throws and got into an argument with an arena worker who was preparing to do some work on the basket. Antetokounmpo shoved the worker’s ladder across the court in disgust.
Already without starters James Harden and Tobias Harris, once Maxey went out Philadelphia stepped up the defensive effort, especially in the third quarter when it outscored Milwaukee 34-22.
Rivers praised veteran P.J. Tucker for leading that defensive charge. Tucker was tasked with guarding Antetokounmpo most of the game. Tucker didn’t score a point but was a plus-11.
Georges Niang added 17 points for Philadelphia, and Shake Milton had 15.
Bobby Portis had 21 points and 11 rebounds for Milwaukee. Brook Lopez added 15 points.