Down 18 late in third, 76ers rally to win, snap Bucks’ 16-game win streak Fred VanVleet drains key 3s in OT, Raptors top Wizards 116-109 Grizzlies’ Brandon Clarke out for season due to torn Achilles Morant to be ‘away from team’ for two games after apparently flashing gun on Instagram Live Report: Free agent center Nerlens Noel to sign with Brooklyn Nets

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Nothing could confuse the Philadelphia 76ers.

Not the loss of two starting. No deficit of 18 points at the end of the third quarter. Even the fact that they faced the hottest team in the NBA on the road.

Joel Embiid made a good 3-pointer with 41.4 seconds left and the 76ers rallied to beat Milwaukee 133–130 on Saturday night, snapping the Bucks’ 16-game winning streak.

“You find something that works and you try to stick with it,” said James Harden, who has 38 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds. “We found something late in the fourth quarter and just stuck with it. We had a few stops and everything changed for us.”

HOLY MOLY JAMES HARDEN 😱pic.twitter.com/yj6bgHVCEj

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) March 5, 2023

Milwaukee had the longest winning streak of any NBA team since the Phoenix Suns had 18 consecutive wins early last season. That streak ended because the Bucks lost 48–31 in the fourth quarter, in which the 76ers hit 12 of 21 overall, 7 of 11 from three-pointers and 17 of 19 from the line.

“They went where they wanted to, they scored because of paint, floats, iso, offensive rebounds, free throws, three-pointers,” Milwaukee said. Giannis Antetokounmpowith 34 points and 13 rebounds. “You name it. They were able to get everything. We must be able to play good basketball for 48 minutes and defend for 48 minutes. This is a good lesson for us.”

Philadelphia completed a comeback though Tobias Harris did not play in the second half due to pain in his left calf and PJ Tucker I spent the fourth quarter with cramps in my back. 76ers coach Doc Rivers did not reveal any of the players.

Embiid had 31 points, 10 assists and 6 rebounds. It was the first time that two Sixers had at least 30 points and 10 assists in the same game since Wilt Chamberlain and Hal Greer did so back on October 30, 1965.

Philadelphia’s MVP nominee was still not satisfied. Embiid claimed that he “didn’t have a good game”.

“I thought I could be better tonight,” Embiid said. “I missed a lot of the easy shots I usually do.”

Although not when it mattered.

The 76ers were trailing 125–121 before Harden hit a 3-pointer with 1:21 left. After Antetokounmpo missed for the basket, Embiid converted a 3-pointer to give Philadelphia their first lead of the second half.

“I had to do it while I was on the losing side at the time,” Embiid said. “I had to do it.”

After Jrue Holiday missed a 3-point try with 25 seconds left, the 76ers went off the 6-of-6 line the rest of the way to seal the win.

“I thought it was a great look,” Holiday said. “Honestly, I thought it was. I left it a little short.”

Tyrese Maxi added 26 points and Georges Niang it was 16 for the 76ers. Maxi has scored at least 23 goals in four consecutive games.

Brooke Lopez and Holiday each scored 26 points for Milwaukee. Grayson Allen it was 20, all within the first 9 minutes 19 seconds of the third quarter.

Allen went 6 for 6 from a 3-point range during that stretch. His last 3-pointer gave Milwaukee a 95–77 lead with 2:41 left in third.

But the 76ers are back.

“It’s a tight game in the last couple of minutes, it’s just throws, and who can make a couple of stops in a row,” Harden said. “We were the team that made it.”

WASHINGTON (AP) Fred VanVliet made two 3-pointers in overtime for 25 points, and on Saturday, the Toronto Raptors defeated the Washington Wizards 116–109 to split the two-game streak.

Gary Trent Jr. scored 26 points to lead the Raptors as they bounced back from a 119–108 loss on Thursday night to again top the Wizards for ninth seed in the Eastern Conference.

FVV earns from corner 🎯

The Raptors lead 110-107 with 1:09 left in the OT.

Watch live on the NBA app
📺: https://t.co/1pomQZMAZK pic.twitter.com/AJtKRpb6cl

— NBA (@NBA) March 5, 2023

VanVleet added 10 assists and sorry pascal scored 15 points and seven assists for Toronto.

Kristaps Porzingis the Wizards had 22 points and 11 rebounds. Bradley Beal added 21 points and 10 assists but only scored 7 of 22 and missed out on a jumper who could have won in main mode.

Get out of the way of the Unicorn🦄😤 pic.twitter.com/uFae2XcC34

— NBC Sports Wizards (@NBCSWizards) March 5, 2023

VanVleet tied it at 107 with a 3-pointer with 1:47 left in the OT. After Kyle Kuzma made a couple of free throws to cut it down to one, VanVleet knocked down 3 more to make it 113–109 and Siakam’s 3-pointer with 15 seconds left put it down.

Neither team had a double-digit lead for three quarters, but Toronto seemed to be taking control as it opened a 97-84 lead with 9:24 to play.

The Wizards attacked behind Porzingis, who hit three goals in just over two minutes to cut the lead to 105–102 with 2:21 left. Trent and VanVleet haven’t hit 3s before Delon Wright tied him up with his 3s with 30 seconds left.

VanVleet missed 3 more and Beal missed a jumper to force an extra period.

Wright had 18 points, seven assists and six rebounds.

It’s been a tough day for Grizzlies fans.

The Grizzlies reserved the big man Brandon Clark – a key part of their frontcourt rotation – sidelined for the season due to torn Achilles team announced on Saturday.

Clarke fell late in the first quarter on Friday night and had to be helped off the court. Clark made a free throw, entered the lane, then turned to run from the defense and fell, grabbing his leg.

C1@rke pic.twitter.com/5F3OCCQ9LF

— Eric Savage (@ErickSavage13) March 4, 2023

Recovery time from this injury varies from player to player, but he will most likely miss about a year.

In his fourth season, Clark is averaging 10.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. He is in the final year of his rookie contract and signed a four-year, $50 million extension to stay with the Grizzlies after this season.

In just a couple of hours on Saturday, the Grizzlies announced that I am Morant will be out of the team for a couple of games after apparently flashing a gun at the club and showing it on Instagram Live, the league then announced Dillon Brooks Suspended for one game after reaching the 16 technical foul limit this season.

There were already many fears. I am Morant are suing after allegedly hitting a 17-year-old boy over a dozen times and pointing a gun at him over the summer (charges he has…