PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ben Simmons wasn’t there. Joel Embiid conceded he should not have played. With Philadelphia’s All-Star cornerstones absent or injured, Kevin Durant and Brooklyn had the opening they needed to spoil the 76ers‘ opener with a rally down the stretch.
Durant had 29 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists, James Harden scored 20 points and the Nets closed with a 16-1 run to beat the 76ers 114-109 on Friday night as each team played without a much-discussed star guard.
“My role tonight, I felt, was getting into the paint, making plays,” Durant said.