HOUSTON — — Kevin Durant scored 29 factors and the Houston Rockets prolonged their successful streak to eight video games with a 113-102 win Thursday evening over the Philadelphia 76ers, who have been lacking Joel Embiid after he had an appendectomy.
The 76ers, who’re combating for a playoff spot, might be with out Embiid indefinitely. He had surgical procedure in Houston on Thursday after being stricken with appendicitis in a single day.
Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson added 19 factors every for the Rockets, who’ve clinched a postseason berth however are contending with Denver and the Lakers for playoff seeding within the West.
Tyrese Maxey scored 23 factors for Philadelphia and VJ Edgecombe added 21. The Sixers misplaced their third straight and dropped right into a tie with Charlotte for eighth place within the Eastern Conference.
Houston led by 23 after three quarters, however Philadelphia used a 16-0 run to get inside 101-94 with about 5 minutes to play. Durant made a 3-pointer after that to finish a scoring drought of virtually 5 minutes for the Rockets and Aaron Holiday made a 3 on the following possession to push the result in 107-94 with 4 minutes remaining.
Philadelphia scored the following eight factors, with the final 5 from Edgecombe, to get inside 5. But one other 3-pointer by Durant put Houston forward 110-102 with simply over a minute left.
They struggled for a lot of the recreation, trailing by 9 after the primary quarter and 17 by halftime. The Rockets stretched the result in 96-73 on the finish of the third earlier than the Sixers lastly received going within the fourth.
Sixers: Visit Indiana on Friday evening.
Rockets: Host Minnesota on Friday evening.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
