Korkmaz puts up 34 as Sixers drop Grizzlies
Furkan Korkmaz hit seven 3-pointers and scored a career-high 34 points, Tobias Harris added 21 and the host Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 119-107 on Friday.
Ben Simmons contributed 22 points and 10 assists while Al Horford had 10 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Sixers, who snapped a four-game losing streak.
Joel Embiid also had 10 points and 10 rebounds in 16 minutes before leaving the game for good with neck stiffness. It was Embiid's 29th double-double this season.
The Sixers improved to a league-best 23-2 at home.
Ja Morant led the Grizzlies with 15 points while Jonas Valanciunas added 14 points and 10 rebounds. Tyus Jones scored 13 and Brandon Clarke had 11.
The Grizzlies had won 13 of 16 entering this game and fell to 26-26 overall.
Korkmaz's fourth 3-pointer gave the Sixers a 45-37 lead with 3:34 remaining in the second quarter.
Memphis led by one about four minutes into the second, but the Sixers closed on a 28-13 spurt and led 58-44 at halftime thanks in large part to Korkmaz's 20 points on 8-of-9 shooting.
Jones paced the Grizzlies with 11 off the bench. Memphis made just 2 of 8 shots from beyond the arc and committed 11 turnovers by halftime.
Simmons drove to the basket to cap a 7-0 run just 1:53 into the third and the Sixers' lead ballooned to 65-46.
After Harris dropped in his third straight trey, Philadelphia moved ahead by 29, 82-53.
The Sixers held a commanding 97-66 lead after the third. Memphis struggled with its shooting through the third, going only 26 of 70 overall and 3 of 14 on treys.
The Grizzlies crept within 97-75 when Dillon Brooks hit a jumper in the lane with 9:01 left.
When Josh Jackson tipped in a shot with 6:00 remaining, a 33-point deficit had been trimmed to 16, 102-86.
On the Sixers' next possession, Korkmaz drained a 3-pointer and was fouled, though he missed the free throw.
--Field Level Media
