76ers end long losing streak at Warriors' expense

(AFP) Without their leader, Joel Embiid, for the remainder of the season, the Philadelphia 76ers gave their fans some joy Saturday by beating the Golden State Warriors 126-119 to end a streak of nine straight losses.

Guard Quentin Grimes scored a career-high 44 points to lead the home team to victory.

On the other side, the Warriors came into the duel on the opposite trajectory, with seven wins in eight games since the signing of Jimmy Butler.

Stephen Curry, who two days earlier had scored 56 points on 12 3-pointers, also shined Saturday with 29 points and a season-high 13 assists.

But Golden State suffered too much in Curry's minutes off the floor and was also without Butler, who was out at the last minute with back problems.

The Sixers took control of the game in the second quarter and went into halftime ahead 67-55.

The visitors did not throw in the towel and tied at 116 with two minutes left, but a layup by the inspired Grimes and a 3-pointer by Frenchman Guerschon Yabusele sealed the home win.

Grimes nailed a total of six 3-pointers and Yabusele another five. The pair made up for Tyrese Maxey's dismal night (5 points on 2-14 shooting from the field), while veteran Paul George chipped in another 17 points.

Just a day earlier, the Sixers confirmed that Cameroonian Joel Embiid, the NBA's MVP in 2023, will miss the rest of the campaign because of his ongoing left knee problems.

Still, Philadelphia is not giving up hope of getting back into the playoff picture. Nick Nurse's team is in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, 2.5 wins behind the Chicago Bulls, who occupy the last playoff spot.

Fox revives Spurs

In Detroit, the Pistons got back on the winning track by beating the Brooklyn Nets 115-94 with a dominant performance by center Jalen Duren, who accumulated 18 points, 11 rebounds and 6 blocks.

All-Star Cade Cunningham was held to 15 points for the Pistons, who were coming off a loss to the Nuggets on Friday, ending their streak of eight straight wins.

With a record of 33 wins and 27 losses, Detroit remains in sixth place in the East just a half-game behind the Indiana Pacers and one game behind the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Bucks defended that spot by beating the Dallas Mavericks 132-117 on the road with 29 points from Giannis Antetokounmpo and another 28 from Damian Lillard.

Another team that caught some air Saturday was the San Antonio Spurs, who won 130-128 on the home court of the Memphis Grizzlies with a winning basket by De'Aaron Fox with 1.8 seconds left.