NBA: Orlando Magic upset and beat Boston Celtics, Lakers fall again

An injury-stricken Orlando Magic stunned the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics 108-104, with 18 points from German Tristan da Silva leading the hosts to a surprise victory despite 35 points from Jaylen Brown for Boston.

"This one's for Mo," Orlando's Johnathan Isaac said, paying tribute to center Mo Wagner, who suffered a season-ending left knee injury Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Lakers continued their uncomfortable season and fell at home to the Detroit Pistons (114-117).

LeBron James did all he could, finishing with 28 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, while Anthony Davis added 19 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.

The league-leading Cleveland Cavs improved to 26-4, matching the best 30-game start in club history, with a 124-113 home win over Utah.

The Cavs, riding a streak of five straight wins, improved their home record to 16-1.

Darius Garland scored 23 points, while Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley added 22 each for Cleveland.

The Cavs are the NBA's most accurate team from the field and from the three-point line.

Meanwhile,Oklahoma City extended its home winning streak to eight games by beating Washington, the NBA's worst team, 123-105.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the victorious Thunder, the Western Conference leader (23-5), with 41 points.

In New York, Karl-Anthony Towns and O.G. Anunoby scored 31 points apiece to lead the Knicks to a 139-125 win over the visiting Toronto Raptors.

With NBA scoring leader Giannis Antetokounmpo out with back spasms and Damian Lillard absent because of illness, the Milwaukee Bucks won 112-91 at Chicago with 21 points apiece from Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez and 19 points and 13 rebounds from Bobby Portis.

Meanwhile, Houston's Jabari Smith scored 21 points and Fred VanVleet added 20 to lead the Rockets to a 114-101 win over visiting Charlotte by a score of 114-101.

Embiid, ejected in Sixers' win over Spurs

Joel Embiid was ejected after confronting a female judge in hisPhiladelphia 76ers's 111-106 win over the San Antonio Spurs in wild NBA action Monday.

The expected pivot showdown between Cameroon's Embiid and France's Victor Wembanyama ended late in the first half, leaving Tyrese Maxey to lead the Sixers to victory with 32 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.

"It's a big moment," Maxey said on getting the win for Embiid. "We're learning how to play without him..... We've got to change the game, be a little quicker, play a little harder and gain rebounds."

Embiid came onto the court after the game and hugged Maxey after the shooting guard's final onslaught of a steal, dunk, three-pointer and free throw in a 9-3 final rally that gave the Sixers the home win.

"It's love, man," Maxey said. "He's been my big brother for a long time."

The chaos began at 3:47 of the second period when Wembanyama went down after contact with Philadelphia's Andre Drummond, who was ejected for a second technical foul.

The call was later overturned after a video review for a "Wemby" foul, allowing Drummond to return to the game.

Embiid received his third foul from referee Jenna Schroeder after charging Wembanyama with 2:59 minutes left in the first half and, after loud complaints to her, the Cameroonian center received two technical fouls and was ejected.

That drew even more ire from Embiid, who ripped off the protective face mask he was wearing for a nasal sinus fracture and angrily protested as he was restrained from confronting the referees.

He exited after just nine points in 14 minutes.

"It was a wild first half," 76ers coach Nick Nurse said.

The NBA leader in blocked shots, Wembanyama finished with 26 points, nine rebounds and eight blocks for the Spurs.