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SPORTS Saturday 14 december 2019
Embiid has 38 points, 13 boards, Sixers beat Celtics 115-109

By JIMMY GOLEN the Nuggets, who ended a
AP Sports Writer three-game slide.
BOSTON (AP) — Joel Em- Carmelo Anthony, who
biid answered the criticism spent the first 7½ years of
from a couple of Hall of his career in Denver, re-
Famers in the most produc- ceived a warm reception
tive way possible. from the crowd during pre-
After Shaquille O’Neal and game introductions. He
Charles Barkley said Embiid had 20 points for the Trail
wasn’t playing up to his Blazers, and CJ McCollum
potential, the 76ers center added 15.
conceded that they were MAVERICKS 122, PISTONS
probably right. Then he 111
produced one of his best MEXICO CITY (AP) — Luka
games of the year: a sea- Doncic scored 41 points
son-high 38 points along and had his eighth triple-
with 13 rebounds in a 115- double of the season, Seth
109 victory over the Boston Curry added a season-
Celtics on Thursday night. high 30 points and Dallas
“All of the stuff he has been beat Detroit Pistons in the
dealing with he handled opener of the NBA Mexico
like an adult, with humil- Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid controls the ball against Boston Celtics guards Kemba Games.Doncic finished
ity. And he responded in Walker (8) and Jaylen Brown (7) in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 12, with 12 rebounds and 11
a dramatic way,” Phila- 2019, in Boston. The 76ers won 115-109. Associated Press assists for the Mavericks.
delphia coach Brett Brown They are 17-7, their best 24-
said. “He was dominant, matchup in the league, said he approached Em- game and their eighth in game start since posting
was a leader and one of but he doesn’t take ad- biid during the game and nine tries. Kemba Walker the same mark at this point
his best games as a Sixer.” vantage of it. O’Neal said told him not to worry about scored 29 points for Boston, of the 2014-15 season.
Embiid scored 16 points in on the TNT broadcast that the criticism. which lost at home for the Andre Drummond led the
the fourth quarter, hitting Embiid shouldn’t settle for “He’s one of the best big first time all season. Gordon Pistons with 23 points and
five of six free throws in the 22 points a game, his cur- men in the league,” said Hayward scored 19. 15 rebounds.
final 26 seconds after Bos- rent average, but should Kanter, who scored a sea- NUGGETS 114, TRAIL BLAZ- CAVALIERS 117, SPURS 109,
ton scored seven straight aim for more like 28 or 30. son-high 20 points with nine ERS 99 OT
points to erase most of a “I like when I get criticized,” rebounds. “I told him, ‘Hey, DENVER (AP) — Nikola SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Kev-
nine-point deficit. With Phil- Embiid said after the game. don’t worry about it.’ I told Jokic and Jerami Grant in Love hit a tying 3-pointer
adelphia leading by four “For them to say I have the him to just go out and play scored 20 points apiece in the final seconds of reg-
in the final 15 seconds, he potential to be the best your game.” and Denver overcame a ulation and finished with 30
blocked Daniel Theis’ shot player in the world, and I Tobias Harris had 23 points, career-high 33 by Hassan points and 17 rebounds as
to help clinch it. haven’t shown that yet, I eight rebounds and seven Whiteside to beat Portland. Cleveland beat San Anto-
Earlier in the week, Barkley need to play harder.” assists for the Sixers, who Gary Harris and Will Barton nio to snap an eight-game
said Embiid is the toughest Celtics center Enes Kanter won their fourth straight each added 15 points for losing streak.q

Former NBA Commissioner Stern

has emergency brain surgery

By BRIAN MAHONEY The league made the an- Stern.
AP Basketball Writer nouncement about Stern Support for Stern has come
NEW YORK (AP) — Former in a statement, saying its from across the game.
NBA Commissioner David thoughts were with him Hall of Famer Magic John-
Stern had emergency sur- and his family. son tweeted that he and
gery after suffering a brain Stern has remained affiliat- wife Cookie were praying
hemorrhage while having ed with the league, holding “for my good friend who
lunch not far from league the title of commissioner helped save my life.”
headquarters. emeritus. He has remained Johnson announced he
The league had no up- active in his other interests, was retiring because of
date on his condition such as sports technology. the AIDS virus in 1991 but
Friday.The 77-year-old Stern oversaw the growth returned the following In this Wednesday, May 15, 2013 file photo, NBA Commissioner
Stern underwent the op- of the NBA into a league year at the All-Star Game David Stern takes a question from a reporter during a news
eration at Mount Sinai St. whose games were tele- with Stern’s backing, John- conference following an NBA Board of Governors meeting in
Dallas.
Luke’s Hospital after he vised in more than 200 son would later rejoin the Associated Press
was stricken at a midtown countries and territories league with Stern’s sup-
Manhattan restaurant. and in more than 40 lan- port, even while some league’s behalf, doing and the creation of the
Stern served exactly 30 guages. The league was players voiced concern public speaking and con- WNBA and NBA Develop-
years as the NBA’s lon- staging a regular-season about playing against him sulting. He was inducted ment League, now called
gest-tenured commis- game in Mexico City be- for health reasons. to the Naismith Memorial the G League which will
sioner before Adam Silver tween Dallas and Detroit Stern has stayed busy after Basketball Hall of Fame in have a franchise in Mexi-
succeeded him on Feb. 1, on Thursday night when it leaving as commissioner, 2014.Stern oversaw the ad- co starting with the 2020-
2014. revealed the news about traveling overseas on the dition of seven franchises 21 season. q