Joel Embiid has huge game to help 76ers outlast Bucks

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With the regular season already two-thirds of the way over, the Philadelphia 76ers wanted to avoid entering the All-Star break on a losing streak.

Joel Embiid made sure it didn’t happen.

Embiid had 42 points, 14 rebounds and five assists and the 76ers regrouped after squandering a 15-point lead to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 123-120 on Thursday night.

"The one thing the later All-Star break does, when you come out, it’s a sprint," 76ers coach Doc Rivers said. "It’s no longer the midway point, where you can ease back from the break. It’s a full sprint when you come back."

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Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid drives past Milwaukee Bucks' Jrue Holiday during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Embiid put the 76ers ahead for good at 117-116 with a 10-footer with 2:32 left. The victory helped the 76ers enter the All-Star break with momentum two nights after an embarrassing 135-87 home loss to Boston.

"It was all about the start," Embiid said. "From the start, everybody was aggressive."

Tobias Harris, who scored 19 points, said the 76ers showed more focus Thursday as they responded to that lopsided defeat. He said it was evident as early as the pregame shootaround.

"That was a game that I'll say we kind of needed just to push us back and understand we've got a lot of work to do, to focus," Harris said.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 32 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists for the Bucks.

Philadelphia played without James Harden, who hasn’t made his 76ers debut since coming over in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets last week. The 10-time All-Star