Embiid leads 76ers over Nuggets, Celtics outlast Lakers in overtime

LOS ANGELES: Philadelphia 76ers big-man Joel Embiid outdueled Denver’s two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic and the Boston Celtics edged the Los Angeles Lakers 125-121 in overtime as rivalries took center stage in the NBA on Saturday.

Embiid, who finished runner-up to Jokic in voting for Most Valuable Player honors the past two seasons, poured in 47 points to lead the 76ers to a 126-119 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

Cameroon’s Embiid also grabbed 18 rebounds to help the Sixers erase a 15-point halftime deficit on the way to a seventh straight victory.

Embiid, who also missed out on selection as an All-Star Game starter this week, downplayed the idea of a personal rivalry with Jokic, saying the contest was about the 76ers testing themselves against the Western Conference’s top team.

“I love the big fella,” he told broadcaster ABC of Jokic. “I’m a big fan.”

“I think he’s more of a motivation to go out and try to win the whole thing,” Embiid said. “I guess that’s the only way I’m probably going to get that respect.”

Embiid was everywhere in the second half, his step-back jumper knotting the score at 110-110 with 5:48 remaining.

After his block on Jamal Murray, Embiid scored on the fastbreak to put the 76ers up for good, and he drained a step-back three-pointer over Jokic that pushed Philadelphia’s lead to 125-117 with 30.1 seconds to play.

Jokic led the Nuggets with 24 points, eight rebounds and nine assists.

The 76ers improved to 32-16, and they were two and a half games behind the league-leading Celtics after Boston rallied to beat the Lakers in a game that featured 19 lead changes.

The Lakers led by seven midway through the fourth quarter, but Jaylen Brown converted a three-point play to tie it up