PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Despite playing shorthanded for a third straight game, the Cleveland Cavaliers continued their winning ways as Darius Garland scored 32 points and Jarrett Allen added 26 in a 122-119 overtime win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night in the NBA In-Season Tournament.
The Cavaliers (8-6, 2-1 In-Season Tournament) remained alive for the Eastern Conference's wild-card berth despite playing without three rotation pieces in Donovan Mitchell, Caris LeVert and Isaac Okoro due to injury. Indiana clinched the East Group A title with its win over Atlanta, improving to 3-0 and holding a win over Cleveland earlier in the tournament.
Cleveland had six players in double figures. The Cavs dominated the paint and the glass, outrebounding the Sixers 61-53 and holding a 68-52 edge in points in the paint.
The 76ers (10-4, 2-2 In-Season Tournament) were eliminated from tournament contention, losing both games on its bright red home court. Overall, the 76ers have lost three straight at home after winning their first six at home to start the season.
Joel Embiid scored 32 points and Tyrese Maxey added 30 for the Sixers.
The Cavs were able to control the tempo through three quarters, grabbing an 18-point lead early in the third quarter. Still, Maxey and Embiid helped Philadelphia climb back, cutting Cleveland's lead to nine at the end of three and briefly grabbing a one-point lead on a three-play play with 2:07 to play.
Cleveland answered every possession down the stretch, with a pair of Garland free throws tying the game at 110. Embiid's last-second shot to win it in regulation rimmed out.
Allen hit the biggest shot of the night, an 8-foot hook shot off Craig Porter's ninth assists of the game to give the Cavs a 120-119 lead with 18 seconds left in overtime. Both Embiid and Maxey missed layups at the other end. Garland made two free throws with 9.7 seconds left and Maxey's final 3-point attempt fell short.
Sixers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. continued his rehab work after breaking a rib after allegedly being hit by a car on Nov. 11 as a pedestrian on a downtown Philadelphia street.
Oubre participated on Monday in individual on-court workouts and will be reevaluated in a week to determine when he can return to the court. “He was in good spirits and it was good,” 76ers coach Nick Nurse said. “He was pretty energetic on the court (Monday).”
When asked if he could be ready to play in a week after his next check up, Nurse was circumspect. “There might be a chance,” he said. “It all depends on how he handles the contact part of it. That's going to determine (the timeline). If he does, then we're close to that timeline (of a week.)”
UP NEXT
Cavaliers: Return home to face Miami on Wednesday.
76ers: Open a two-game road trip against Minnesota on Wednesday night.
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