‘50-50’ night for Embiid, Murray

Los Angeles – Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid and Denver’s Jamal Murray each scored a career-high 50 points Friday, with Murray becoming the first to reach the mark without attempting a free throw and Embiid also grabbing a whopping 17 rebounds.

All-Star Embiid led the 76ers to a 112-105 victory over the Chicago Bulls. He added 17 rebounds, five assists, four blocks and two steals in a dynamic game in Philadelphia.

Embiid was 17 of 26 from the field and 15 of 17 from the free-throw line as he eclipsed the 49 points he scored against the Atlanta Hawks one year ago.

“My teammates found me. I am pretty happy about what we did,” Embiid said. “I have got to get the job done. That’s my job, that’s why they pay me.”

Tobias Harris contributed 22 points, 12 rebounds in the win. Danny Green scored 13 points and reserve Dwight Howard had 10 rebounds.

It was Philadelphia’s second consecutive win without Ben Simmons, who skipped the game with a stomach illness.

Canada’s Murray scored a regular season career-high 50 as the Nuggets crushed the Cleveland Cavaliers, 120-103, in Cleveland.

Murray, who scored 50 points in two playoff games last season, surpassed his previous high of 48 points in Denver’s 115-107 win over the Boston Celtics in November 2018.

“Once I saw a few go down it just took off from there,” Murray said.

Murray, whose mother is from Syria and father was born in Jamaica, made 21 of 25 shots from the floor and drained eight threes for the Nuggets, who led 69-50 at halftime.