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    Thursday, May 16, 2024

    NBA roundup

    Orlando's Paolo Banchero goes up for a shot past the 76ers' Joel Embiid during the second half of Monday’s game in Philadelphia. Orlando won, 119-109. (/Matt Slocum/AP Phot)

    Magic 119, 76ers 109

    Paolo Banchero had 29 points and 10 rebounds as the Orlando Magic stormed back from a 21-point first-quarter deficit to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 119-109 on Monday night.

    Mo Wagner scored 22 points and his younger brother Franz Wagner scored 19 for the Magic, who stopped a three-game skid and ended the Sixers' seven-game winning streak.

    It was the latest win over one of the NBA's top teams for the Magic, who improved to 15-11 since their 6-20 start.

    “They are learning from experiences,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. “They are finding ways to bounce back and believe in each other and understand that it’s got to start on the defensive side of the ball.”

    Orlando has beaten Boston three times, Golden State twice, Dallas, Phoenix and now Philadelphia.

    “We are a very good team,” Banchero said. “We just have to learn how to put this effort out every night. We have to be able to take this game and take it to the next game and the game after that no matter who the opponent is.”

    Joel Embiid had 30 points and 11 rebounds for Philadelphia, his 27th game this season scoring 30 or more and his ninth in the past 10. But he also led the Sixers in turnovers with six, got into foul trouble in the fourth quarter and was visibly frustrated by Orlando's physical defense.

    The Magic forced 19 turnovers and held Philly to 19 points in the fourth quarter. The 21-point deficit was the largest Orlando has overcome this season and the sixth-largest in franchise history.

    The Magic methodically worked their way back from the early hole, trimming the Sixers' lead to 10 points at halftime. Orlando went ahead for the first time on a 3-pointer by Gary Harris in the third quarter.

    “We just wanted to challenge them and turn the heat up,” Banchero said. “We weren’t doing that in the first half and gave them too many easy buckets. You’re not going to stop Embiid, you just have to challenge him and make it difficult on him and we did a good job.”

    The Magic took the lead for good with 7:03 to play when Mo Wagner made a reverse layup, was fouled and converted the free throw. Wagner converted another three-point play 19 seconds later when he was fouled by Embiid on a driving layup.

    Sixers coach Doc Rivers unsuccessfully challenged the foul call on Embiid, insisting his big man had established defensive position.

    Cole Anthony followed with a 3-pointer to complete a 9-0 Orlando run, and the Sixers got no closer than six points the rest of the way.

    “I don’t think we played with any pace,” Rivers said. “Their pressure, their physicality ... they got into us. We turned the ball over. We were flopping to try to draw fouls. We just turned it off and couldn’t get it back.”

    Tobias Harris and James Harden scored 17 points apiece for the Sixers.

    Warriors 128, Thunder 120

    Stephen Curry had 38 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds, and Golden State defeated Oklahoma City for its third straight win.

    Curry made 8 of 14 3-pointers and 12 of 20 shots overall. Klay Thompson added 28 points and hit six 3s for the Warriors.

    Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 of his 31 points in the second half for the Thunder. Josh Giddey had 21 points and Jalen Williams added 19 for Oklahoma City, which missed out on a chance to even its season record.

    Mavericks 111, Pistons 105

    Luka Doncic had 53 points in his return to the lineup and Spencer Dinwiddie scored 10 of his 12 in the fourth quarter as Dallas rallied past Detroit.

    Four of Doncic’s five career 50-point games have come this season. He scored a career-best 60 against the New York Knicks in a game that went to overtime on Dec. 27.

    Doncic had 24 points in the first quarter and 18 in the third. Second in the NBA going in with an average of 33 points per game, he returned after spraining his left ankle early in last Thursday’s game at Phoenix and then missing Saturday’s game at Utah.

    Bojan Bogdanovic had 29 points for the Pistons, who have lost six of seven.

    Trail Blazers 129, Hawks 125

    Damian Lillard scored 42 points, Anfernee Simons hit a tiebreaking 3 with 34 seconds left and Portland held off Atlanta.

    Dejounte Murray had 40 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Hawks, who played without star point guard Trae Young (ankle).

    Lillard added six assists in his fifth 40-point game this month. Jerami Grant had 22 points and Simons finished with 21, including his clutch 3 that gave the Trail Blazers a 124-121 lead.

    Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 23 for Atlanta off the bench.

    Kings 118, Timberwolves 111 (OT)

    De’Aaron Fox had 32 points and Trey Lyles scored eight of his 11 in overtime as Sacramento outlasted Minnesota.

    Domantas Sabonis had 17 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out for the Kings, and Keegan Murray added 13 points and 13 rebounds.

    Lyles took over for Sabonis at center and started the extra period with a 3-pointer. He dunked on Rudy Gobert for a three-point play and got wide open for another slam with 37.8 seconds left in overtime for a five-point lead to give the Kings a split of this two-game set after a 117-110 loss Saturday night.

    Anthony Edwards had 33 points and eight rebounds for the Timberwolves, hitting the 30-point mark for the fifth time in the last six games. Gobert added 19 points and 14 rebounds.

    Wizards 127, Spurs 106

    Deni Avdija scored a career-high 25 points, Bradley Beal added 21 and Washington ended a 22-game losing streak in San Antonio.

    Kristaps Porzingis had 17 points and nine rebounds after a fast start for the Wizards, who hadn't beaten the Spurs on the road since Dec. 11, 1999. Washington has won six straight for its longest winning streak since a six-game run in 2015.

    Keldon Johnson had 26 points for the Spurs, who have lost six in a row to fall to 2-13 this month.

    Suns 114, Raptors 106

    Mikal Bridges scored 29 points, Deandre Ayton added 22 points and 13 rebounds, and Phoenix pulled away late to beat Toronto.

    The Suns won for the sixth time in seven games despite missing All-Star guard Devin Booker for the entire stretch.

    Chris Paul hit a crucial 3-pointer to push the Suns ahead 106-102 with 1:30 left. Ayton added a tip-in with 51.4 seconds remaining to extend the advantage to 108-102.

    Paul finished with 19 points and nine assists.

    Fred VanVleet had 24 points and nine assists for the Raptors.

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