Harris shines as shorthanded Sixers defeat Knicks

Tobias Harris #12 of the Philadelphia 76ers handles the ball against the New York Knicks on February 27, 2020, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Copyright 2020 NBAE David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Tobias Harris finished with 34 points to lift the shorthanded Philadelphia 76ers over the visiting New York Knicks 115-106 on Thursday.

Al Horford had 15 points and nine assists and Shake Milton scored 19 points as the Sixers improved to a league-best 28-2 at home.

“Just taking the opportunities that were presented,” said Harris, who added seven rebounds and seven assists. “We had a good pop to our offense and I was able to get in-the-flow plays.”

Milton hit all five of his three-point attempts, while Horford hit all four from beyond the arc for the Sixers, who played without injured all-stars Joel Embiid (shoulder) and Ben Simmons (back).

Embiid has been diagnosed with a strained left shoulder and will be evaluated again in the week.

“It’s a painfully obvious bind,” coach Brett Brown said. “We’re missing two All-Stars. You yank that from the team and it’s painful.”

The Sixers swept the four-game season series from the Knicks.

Julius Randle paced the Knicks with 30 points and 10 rebounds. Maurice Harkless scored 17 points, RJ Barrett added 15 and Elfrid Payton had 18 points and 12 assists for New York, who have lost six in a row.

Josh Richardson appeared to make a three-pointer at the end of the third quarter, but the officials ruled he didn’t get the shot off before the buzzer so the score remained 87-79.

Horford hit a pair of threes early in the fourth for a 100-85 Sixers advantage with 8:34 to go.

The Knicks battled back to within 107-102 with just over two minutes left after Randle hit a free throw. Harris answered with a key three-pointer, and the lead moved back to eight.

Elsewhere, Anthony Davis scored 23 points and Rajon Rondo had 12 as the Los Angeles Lakers routed the hapless Golden State Warriors 116-86.

The Lakers won their seventh straight game despite giving LeBron James the night off against the worst team in the NBA.

Rookie Eric Paschall had 23 points for Golden State, who lost Draymond Green to a two-technical-foul ejection in the second quarter.

Warriors were also without Andrew Wiggins, who has a back problem.

The loss was Golden State’s eighth straight overall and eighth in a row at home.

Also, Domantas Sabonis overcame early foul trouble to collect 20 points and 11 rebounds as the Indiana Pacers registered a 106-100 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Indianapolis.