Embiid delivers win for 76ers over Mavericks

(AFP) With Anthony Davis at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia but sidelined, the Dallas Mavericks lost 118-116 to the Philadelphia 76ers, who welcomed back Joel Embiid after a 15-game absence.

Embiid, 30, sealed the victory with the game's final three points, finishing with a triple-double of 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. He broke through a triple-team to score the go-ahead basket with 22 seconds left and then made one of two free throws.

Davis spoke for the first time after the historic trade that sent him from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Mavericks earlier in the week.

"I was shocked, I didn't know," the 31-year-old Davis said. "I had just sent a text to the meam, congratulating them on getting us a big win. Then, found out an hour later I was no longer with the team. So, I was in shock, obviously."

Max Christie, who was also part of the trade, made his Mavs debut, playing 32 minutes and scoring 15 points.

Embiid's return is a welcome boost for the Sixers, who reached 20 wins on the season with Tuesday's victory, though they remain outside the playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.

Towns' stellar performance

Meanwhile, Dominican-born Karl-Anthony Towns became the first New York Knicks player since the 1997-1998 season to score at least 20 points and grab 15 rebounds in the first half.

He accomplished this in the 121-115 victory over the Toronto Raptors, finishing with 27 points, 20 rebounds, and 11 assists.

"In a head-to-head battle for the Eastern Conference lead, the Boston Celtics defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 112-105.

It was Boston's fourth consecutive win, with Jayson Tatum leading the way as the top scorer with 22 points. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, suffered their 10th loss of the season.