LOS ANGELES (REUTERS) - Tobias Harris poured in 35 points, Ben Simmons notched a triple-double and the Philadelphia 76ers handed the host Detroit Pistons their fifth straight defeat, 125-109, on Monday (Dec 23).
Harris made 14 of 21 field-goal attempts, including four three-pointers. Simmons racked up 16 points, 13 rebounds and 17 assists. Furkan Korkmaz delivered 21 points off the bench and Joel Embiid had 20 points, eight rebounds, three blocks and three assists for the Sixers. Philadelphia shot 54.7 per cent from the field.
Harris and the Pistons' Blake Griffin exchanged words and bumped chests after Harris knocked away a Pistons inbounds pass during the fourth quarter. Both players were handed technicals.
Andre Drummond, the league's top rebounder, was not in the starting line-up after missing the morning shootaround. He came off the bench and scored a team-high 27 points with nine rebounds and three assists.
Two other usual starters, guard Bruce Brown (leg) and forward Luke Kennard (knee), did not suit up due to injuries.
Derrick Rose contributed 16 points and seven assists, and Svi Mykhailiuk added 13 points and four assists. Griffin shot just 2-for-14 from the field and scored eight points.
Philadelphia led 60-52 at half-time. Harris, playing against one of his former teams, scored 17 first-half points. Drummond and Markieff Morris each scored 10 for Detroit.
The Pistons led 41-40 midway through the second quarter before Philadelphia responded with a 16-3 run. A pair of alley oops between Simmons and Harris, with each setting up the other, finished off the outburst.
Detroit tied it up 65-65 early in the second half but Philadelphia answered with a 17-7 run. Harris scored seven points during that span and Korkmaz tossed in five more.
Korkmaz had another personal 5-0 run later in the quarter to make it 92-79.
The Sixers led 94-86 heading into the fourth.
Josh Richardson hit a jumper with just over eight minutes left, giving Philadelphia a 103-92 advantage. Korkmaz's three-pointer with 4:54 left stretched the Sixers' lead to 17.
