Harden, Maxey lead Embiid-less 76ers past Washington | Sport

WASHINGTON (AP) — James Harden had 23 points and 17 assists as the Philadelphia 76ers returned to .500 with a 118-111 win over the Washington Wizards on Monday night despite missing Joel Embiid .

Tyrese Maxey added 28 points for Philadelphia. Georges Niang hit all four of his 3-pointers in the second half — including three in the fourth quarter — and finished with 12 points as the 76ers won their third straight to snap a 4-4 tie.

Embiid, a back-to-back NBA MVP finalist, missed the game due to an illness unrelated to COVID-19.

Kristaps Porzingis scored 32 points and Bradley Beal added 19 for Washington, which lost its third straight and second at home.

The Wizards closed to within five in the final minute after trailing by as many as 18 early in the fourth quarter.

The 76ers took charge on a 27-6 run that spanned the end of the third and the beginning of the fourth, during which the Wizards scored just one field goal.

Harden and Tobias Harris started the layup, with the latter giving Philadelphia a 72-71 lead with 4:04 left in the third.

Nyong’s first 3 made it 82-73 with 1:01 left in the third, and by the time he hit his third, the lead had grown to 95-77 early in the fourth.