CLEVELAND (AP) — Joel Embiid had 35 points and 17 rebounds, James Harden scored 21 points and added 11 assists, and the Philadelphia 76ers edged the Cleveland Cavaliers 118-114 on Wednesday night.
Embiid was a game-time decision with a sore back, but showed no signs of the injury on his 28th birthday. The All-Star center and MVP candidate shot 13 of 19 from the field, including 1 of 3 from 3-point range, and was 8 of 10 from the foul line while adding five assists in 35 minutes.
“We got a win we had to have and I’m feeling great,” Embiid said between sips of fruit punch from his postgame celebration. “It’s the NBA season. None of us feel good at this point. We need to keep playing the same way.”
Darius Garland had 22 points and seven assists for the Cavaliers, who lead Toronto by a half-game in the race for sixth place in the Eastern Conference. All-Star center Jarrett Allen missed his fifth consecutive game with a broken left finger.
Cleveland, which trailed by 17 in the…