Post Up: All About The Process

76ers 89 (21-20), Celtics 80 (34-12)

On the day he learned he was headed to the All-Star Game (not that he didn’t know it already), Joel Embiid scored 26 points and had 16 rebounds to lift the 76ers to a win in Boston. And after the game, he had a special message for someone who told him to get back to her when he was an All-Star:

The Sixers held Boston to just 32 points in the first half and 40 percent shooting for the game to go with 19 turnovers. Kyrie Irving sat out with shoulder soreness, and in his absence, Al Horford and Marcus Morris each scored 14 points.

Cavaliers 104 (27-17), Magic 103 (13-32)

The Cavs almost did it again. Riding a four-game losing streak and less than a week removed from blowing a 20-plus-point lead to the Pacers, Cleveland saw a comfortable cushion slip away again. The Cavs led by 20 at halftime, but the Magic out-scored them 33-17 in the third quarter and eventually pulled ahead. In the fourth, Isaiah Thomas made the clinching free throws with 11 seconds left and Elfrid Payton missed a layup as time wound down to give Cleveland its first win since Jan. 6. Thomas had 21 to lead all scorers, while Payton had 19 for the Magic.

Rockets 116 (31-12), Timberwolves 98 (29-18)

James Harden made his first appearance of 2018 and scored 10 points in the Rockets’ win. But it was Eric Gordon who led the way for Houston, hitting seven threes (including a half-court heave at the end of the third quarter) and tallying 30 points. As for the Timberwolves, Jimmy Butler had 23 points and Karl-Anthony Towns had 22 points and 16 rebounds. The Rockets have now won four out of five.

Trail Blazers 100 (24-21), Pacers 86 (24-1)

The Blazers held the Pacers to just 12 fourth-quarter points to turn a tie game into a double-digit win. In a game where neither team shot 40 percent, Damian Lillard had 26 points and Jusuf Nurkic had 19 points and 17 rebounds. Darren Collison and Victor Oladipo each had 23 to lead the Pacers.