PHILADELPHIA — Joel Embiid made a fade-away jumper from the foul line with 1.1 seconds left to give the Philadelphia 76ers a 120-119 comeback victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night.
Embiid scored 39 points, shaking off a double-team from Jusuf Nurkic and Damian Lillard on the winner. The basket gave Philadelphia its first lead of the game they trailed by 21 points late in the first half.
Portland’s last-second after a timeout was tipped away on the inbound play, with Lillard’s shot coming after the horn.
“To be able to come back in a game like that, when you are down one, you have to make those plays,” Embiid said.
James Harden added 19 points for Philadelphia despite struggling from the floor. Tyrese Maxey and DeAnthony Melton each had 13 to help the 76ers win their fourth straight game.
Anfernee Simons led Portland with 34 points on 8-of-12 shooting from 3-point range. Jeremi Grant had 24 points and Lillard 22.
Simons was a game-time decision coming into the night after missing seven of Portland's last eight games because of sprained right ankle sprain. He was 5 of 6 on 3s in the first half as Portland hit 26 of its first 38 shots from the floor to build a 21-point lead.
TIP-INS
Trail Blazers: Matisse Thybulle — who was traded from Philadelphia to Portland as part of a three-team trade at the Feb. 9 trade deadline — made his return to Wells Fargo Center. He had five points in 19 minutes.
76ers: The game was the sixth in the last eight games that Philadelphia has allowed better than 40% shooting from beyond the 3-point arc. The Sixers entered the game with the sixth-best defensive 3-point field goal percentage defense at 35.1%.
UP NEXT
Trail Blazers: At New Orleans on Sunday night to complete six-game trip.
76ers: Host Washington on Sunday night.
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