NBA: Joel Embiid injured on return as Philadelphia 76ers beat Washington Wizards

Joel Embiid was injured in his first game since leaving Covid-19 isolation as the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Washington Wizards 127-101.

Embiid, who scored 23 points and seven rebounds, hyperextended his left knee while landing following a dunk.

He missed Sunday’s All-Star Game because of Covid-19 contact tracing issues, forcing him into quarantine.

Shake Milton and Furkan Korkmaz both added 18 points off the bench for the 76ers, the Eastern Conference leaders.

It was their third straight victory on the road and their first regular season win at Washington since 2013.

Western Conference leaders the Utah Jazz saw six players finish in double figures, led by Donovan Mitchell with 28 points, as they defeated the Houston Rockets 114-99 to end their two-game losing streak.

Mitchell contributed seven rebounds and eight assists while Mike Conley chipped in with 20 points and four assists against a stubborn Rockets side, who lost their 15th consecutive game.

The Los Angeles Lakers came from behind to narrowly beat the Indiana Pacers 105-100, as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s steal with eight seconds remaining and subsequent pair of free throws secured the win.

The Lakers had trailed by as many as 12 points in the fourth quarter but Kyle Kuzma’s 15 points in the final period helped propel his side back into the game.

Nikola Jokic’s hook shot with fewer than 35 seconds left on the clock gave the Denver Nuggets just enough advantage as they held on to a slender lead to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 103-102.

Jokic finished with 28 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists as the Nuggets went five games unbeaten.

Elsewhere, the Miami Heat won their third game on the bounce with a 101-90 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

The San Antonio Spurs rolled to a 104-77 win against the Orlando Magic while the New Orleans Pelicans breezed past the Cleveland Cavaliers 116-82.

Agencies