Wiggins leads NBA Warriors over injury-hit 76ers, Celtics win

 

 

Golden State won back-to-back NBA road games for the first time since November as Andrew Wiggins delivered 21 points and 10 rebounds on Wednesday in a 127-104 victory at Philadelphia.

While two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry managed only nine points, the Warriors led by as many as 30 points, their most in any game this season.

“It’s a team effort,” Wiggins said. “We’re all a factor offensively and defensively, getting into it, stuck to the game plan. Made plays for each other.”

Klay Thompson and Jonathan Kuminga each added 18 points for the Warriors, who opened the game by outscoring the Sixers 43-23 in the third quarter.

The 76ers (30-20) suffered their seventh loss in eight games while the Warriors took their fourth victory in five.

In games when Curry has scored fewer than 10 points, tonight’s win was the most lopsided since 2009.

The Warriors (23-25) improved to 3-1 on a road trip that ends Thursday at Indiana.

“Our shell was tight. Next man was helping the next man,” Wiggins said. “We bring that kind of effort tomorrow, we’ll be fine.”

Wiggins was pleased with his game after his second double-double of the season.

“It’s coming together,” Wiggins said. “Tonight was a mindset of being aggressive.”

The Sixers, without reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid for at least four weeks after left knee surgery on Tuesday, are 4-12 this season without the Cameroonian star.

Kristaps Porzingis scored a game-high 31 points to spark the NBA-leading Boston Celtics over visiting Atlanta 125-117.

The Latvian 7-foot-2 (2.18m) forward connected on 13-of-19 shots from the floor while Derrick White added 21 points and Jayson Tatum had 20 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for Eastern Conference leader Boston, which rose to 39-12.

Jimmy Butler’s triple double of 17 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists ignited the Miami Heat to a 116-104 home victory over San Antonio.

Tyler Herro led the Heat with 24 points while Bam Adebayo added 20.

French rookie Victor Wembanyama, last year’s top NBA Draft pick, had 18 points and 13 rebounds for the Spurs.

C.J. McCollum scored 25 points and Zion Williamson added 21 points and 10 assists to power the New Orleans Pelicans to a 117-106 road victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.

It was the first game all season for the Clippers, who were led by 19 points from James Harden, in which they never led.

The Clippers (34-16) had a four-game win streak snapped and fell from first to fourth in the Western Conference.

The Pelicans (30-21) won their fourth game in a row to match Phoenix for fifth in the West.

Donovan Mitchell scored 40 points, Evan Mobley added 22 and each grabbed eight rebounds as the Cleveland Cavaliers stretched their win streak to seven games with a 114-106 triumph against the Washington Wizards.

Mitchell hit 14-of-25 shots from the floor, 5-of-10 from 3-point range, and 7-of-7 free throws as the Cavs won for the 15th time in 16 starts and improved to 33-16, second in the Eastern Conference.

The Wizards slumped to 9-41, ensuring their sixth consecutive campaign without a winning record.

Toronto’s R.J. Barrett scored 23 points to lead seven Raptors scorers in double figures in a 123-117 victory at Charlotte.

Hornets forward Miles Bridges had 45 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in a losing cause as Charlotte’s losing streak reached nine games.

At Sacramento, Detroit’s Jaden Ivey scored 37 points while Jalen Duren added 20 points and 15 rebounds to spark the NBA-worst Pistons to a 133-120 victory.

The Kings, who trailed Detroit by 17 points in the third quarter, battled back to lead entering the fourth before the Pistons pulled away, improving to 7-43 with their third road triumph in 23 starts.

Domantas Sabonis led Sacramento with 30 points and 12 rebounds.

js/dhw

AFP

(NAMPA / AFP)