Coast-to-Coast: Joel Embiid makes big return; D’Angelo Russell triple caps wild Nets win

Still striding are the Boston Celtics, LA Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, and the suddenly streaking Portland Trail Blazers on the same night Joel Embiid dominated in his first game back for the Philadelphia 76ers after missing the last 15. 

JOEL EMBIID DAZZLES WITH TRIPLE-DOUBLE; CELTICS HOLD OFF CAVS

• Philadelphia 76ers (20-29) def. Dallas Mavericks (26-25), 118-116: Joel Embiid returned with a bang behind a triple-double effort as the Sixers edged the Mavericks. 

• Served with Due Process: Embiid dropped a 29-11-10 statline on top of Tyrese Maxey’s 33-point, 13-rebound double-double, propelling Philly to its fifth win in the last seven games. 

• New York Knicks (34-17) def. Toronto Raptors (16-34), 121-115: Karl Anthony Towns hammered out a monster 20-20 game in guiding an eighth straight Knicks win against the lowly Raptors. 

• KAT’s 20-20 vision: Towns muscled his way to a dominating 27-point, 20-rebound effort, his fourth 20-20 game this season for New York’s 16th road dub overall.  

• Boston Celtics (36-15) def. Cleveland Cavaliers (40-10), 112-105: Derrick White drained the clutch shots late that led to a fourth straight Celtics victory at the Cavaliers expense in a battle between the two top teams in the East.

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• Chicago Bulls (22-29) def. Miami Heat (24-24),133-124: In their first game since trading Zach LaVine, the Bulls returned to their winning ways quickly and took care of the Heat. 

D’LO CALLS GAME FOR NETS; LAKERS DOMINATE IN ‘BATTLE OF LA’ 

• Brooklyn Nets (17-33) def. Houston Rockets (32-18), 99-97: In a wild finish, the Nets scored six points in just 4.7 seconds, capped off by D’Angelo Russell’s game-winning triple to stun the Rockets. 

• Cold-Blooded in DoBro: Keon Johnson and Russell drained consecutive threes in the final 10 seconds in helping the Nets secure their first home victory in two months.

• Portland Trail Blazers (21-29) def. Indiana Pacers (28-20), 112-89: Make it five straight wins for the suddenly streaking Trail Blazers after ending the Pacers’ winning run at four. 

• LA Lakers (29-19) def. LA Clippers (28-22),122-97: With Luka Doncic watching, the Lakers turned the “Battle of LA” into a one-sided romp after dominating the Clippers.

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