CLUTCH plays by Malik Monk capped a furious finish that allowed the host Sacramento Kings to overtake the Joel Embiid-less Philadelphia 76ers for a 113-107 win on Wednesday.

By Field Level Media

Monk was credited with a basket on a goaltended layup to break a tie with 33.8 seconds remaining. He stole the ball from Paul George seven seconds later, then teamed with DeMar DeRozan for four clinching free throws.

Sacramento scored the final 15 points of the game to pull out its second consecutive victory.

Playing the front end of a back-to-back set that will see them in action again Thursday against the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco, the 76ers opted to sit Embiid after he averaged 26.3 points during a four-game winning streak that ended Wednesday.

With George taking charge by scoring 30 points and Tyrese Maxey adding 27 in Embiid's 20th absence this season, the 76ers were able to break from a 57-all halftime tie to lead for most of the second half. They were up by as many as 10 in the final period and led 107-98 with just 3:34 remaining before the Kings did the rest of the game's scoring.

A floater by De'Aaron Fox, two free throws by Monk and a 3-pointer by Keon Ellis got the rally started. A DeRozan hoop knotted the game at 107-all with one minute to play.

Maxey misfired on a short-range jumper at the other end that could have put the visitors back on top, setting the stage for Monk to get inside the Philadelphia defense for his go-ahead points and give the Kings their first lead since the first minute of the third quarter.

Monk's steal on George came as part of a scoreless finish in which the 76ers had more turnovers (five) than shots attempts (four).

Hitting 13 of his 16 shots, Fox led the way for the Kings with 35 points, while Domantas Sabonis snatched a game-high 21 rebounds to go with 17 points and a game-high seven assists.

Monk finished with 20 points, DeRozan 18 and Trey Lyles 12 for Sacramento, which improved to 2-1 under interim coach Doug Christie.

Eric Gordon had 14 points, Caleb Martin 12 and Andre Drummond 10 to complement a team-high nine rebounds for the 76ers, who fell to 7-13 in Embiid absences.

Maxey found time for a team-high six assists and five steals.

Meanwhile, Scottie Barnes had 33 points and 13 rebounds and the Toronto Raptors ended an 11-game losing streak with a 130-113 victory over the visiting Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.

Toronto's Immanuel Quickley (elbow) returned after missing 22 games and added 21 points and 15 assists. Gradey Dick had 22 points and three steals. Ochai Agbaji scored 14 points, Jakob Poeltl amassed 12 points and nine rebounds, and Ja'Kobe Walter added 11 points.

Brooklyn's D'Angelo Russell, playing his first game since his acquisition in a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers, scored 22 points off the bench.

Cameron Johnson scored 24 points and Keon Johnson finished with 17 for the Nets, who have lost three in a row and five of six. Nic Claxton had 16 points and 10 rebounds, Day'Ron Sharpe scored 11 points and Jalen Wilson added 10 points.

Brooklyn led 33-26 after one quarter.

Toronto took a 45-44 lead on Walter's 3-pointer with 6:45 remaining in the second quarter. The lead reached four on Dick's 3-pointer. Brooklyn answered with an 8-2 burst and led 65-64 at halftime.

Toronto shot 55.1 percent (27-for-49) from the field in the first half, and Brooklyn shot 50 percent (23-for-46).

Toronto opened the third quarter with a 9-3 run. The lead reached 10 points on Agbaji's 3-pointer with 6:25 left in third.

Brooklyn responded with seven straight points. Brooklyn's Noah Clowney fell on his back going for a rebound and went to the dressing room with 26 seconds left in the third quarter. He did not return.

Toronto led 94-91 after three quarters and started the fourth with a 10-4 surge to lead by nine with 8:22 to play.

Dick's 3-pointer later bumped the margin to 10, and Agbaji's trey increased the lead to 15 with 5:07 left. Quickley's 3-pointer gave Toronto a 119-99 lead with 4:17 remaining.

Brooklyn's Maxwell Lewis was helped off the court and taken to the dressing room after falling late in the fourth quarter.

Toronto's RJ Barrett (illness) and Bruce Brown (knee) and Brooklyn's Cam Thomas (hamstring) did not play.

REUTERS