The race for the top of the Eastern Conference is still open with eight days remaining in the NBA regular season. Philadelphia caught up a bit by crushing Charlotte (144-114) on Saturday afternoon. The Sixers made the difference after the break thanks to Joel Embiid (29 points, 14 rebounds), Tobias Harris (23 points) and Tyrese Maxey (19 points). James Harden finished with 12 points and 13 assists.
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Fourth in the East with 47 wins and 30 losses, the players of Doc Rivers return to two wins over Miami (49-28), still the leader. But Philadelphia will have an affordable schedule with two confrontations against Indiana and one against Detroit – already eliminated from the play-off race – in its last five games.
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Cleveland s’impose à New York
In the other Saturday afternoon local time game, Cleveland edged New York at Madison Square Garden (119-101). Darius Garland (24 points, 13 assists) signed the action of the evening with an instant pass for Moses Brown on the counterattack, at the conclusion of a nice collective movement.
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Holder in New York, Evan Fournier scored 19 points (6 out of 10 shooting), the second best mark for the Knicks behind Obi Toppin (20). Cleveland retains seventh place with 43 wins and 35 losses. The Cavs still have a small chance of avoiding the play-in (dam round), but they will have to catch up with Toronto (6th, 45-32) or Chicago (5th, 45-32). New York is already out of the race.
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