Embiid leads 76ers over Nets in Harden’s return to Brooklyn

NEW YORK (AP)— Joel Embiid had 37 points and 13 rebounds, James Harden scored 29points in his first game in Brooklyn since being traded a year agoto begin a Big Three breakup, and the Philadelphia 76ers beat theNets 101-98 on Saturday night.

The 76ers gota victory instead of overtime when Spencer Dinwiddie’s 3-pointerwas ruled too late after a video review.

Harden addedsix rebounds and six assists after being booed in introductions andthen early in the game. He arrived in January 2021 to play withKevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, then asked out and was gone just 13months later, swapped in a deal for Ben Simmons at last year’strade deadline.

Now Durantand Irving are also gone, traded this week.

“I don’t getcaught up in homecomings or the outside distractions,” Harden said.“I think our focus was just to come here and win a game and we dida good job of that tonight.”

Mikal Bridgesscored 23 points in his first game with the Nets, but missed alayup that would have given the Nets the lead with about 2 secondsleft. Harden then made two free throws with 0.9 seconds to go, andDinwiddie’s shot after a timeout was too late.

The Netsstarted Bridges, Cam Johnson, Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith,the four players they acquired this week from Phoenix for Durantand Dallas for Irving. The Nets had the look of a tough defensiveteam that will miss the scoring of their All-Stars, managing onlyone basket in the last 6 1/2 minutes.

“We weregetting good looks, just sometimes you can’t control,” Bridgessaid. “They look good and don’t go in.”

The Nets wereahead by nine midway through the fourth quarter before Embiidcapped an 8-0 run with a basket that cut it to 96-95 with 3:55remaining. The Sixers missed numerous chances to take the lead fromthere until Embiid grabbed the rebound of Harden’s missed layup andwas fouled going back up. His free throws gave Philadelphia thelead for good with 5.2 to play.

TIP-INS

76ers: JalenMcDaniels, acquired from Charlotte at the deadline, had five pointsin 16 minutes. ... Harden will face a former team in the next game,too. The 76ers host Houston on Monday.

Nets: SethCurry, who was also acquired in the Harden-Simmons swap, issidelined with a left adductor strain. ... Simmons had four pointsand three rebounds. ... It was coach Jacque Vaughn’s 48thbirthday.

TWINSTRADED

“The Twins,”as Bridges and Johnson were nicknamed in Phoenix by former teammateDeandre Ayton because they did so much together, had plenty of timeto think about moving to New York. Durant’s initial trade requestcame last summer.

“There was alot of jokes, especially in the summer when KD wanted to come hereand we knew the pieces and who might be the ones that were going togo, and us two was the main two,” Bridges said. “And we jokedaround, we always said, ‘At least we got us, at least we got us,’and it happened and that’s still to this day. It’s just like, atleast I got my twin with me.”

BRIDGES ON THE BENCH

Bridges hadplayed in all 365 possible games while with Phoenix, along with all116 games at Villanova, before not being available Thursday nightafter the trade.

“He wasshaking. He was like, ’I’ve got to get out there, I’ve got to getout there,” said Johnson, who said he told Bridges to calmdown.

But, Johnsonthen showed Bridges that he’d already played 56 games with the Sunsand the Nets still had 37 remaining beginning Saturday, meaning hecan actually play 83 games instead of 82.

“I’m tryingto keep his spirits up,” Johnson said.