Joel Embiid posts triple-double with LeBron James out as 76ers beat Bucks 127-116 to stay unbeaten

The Philadelphia 76ers stayed unbeaten on Saturday night, Oct. 24, beating the Milwaukee Bucks 127-116 in Philadelphia without LeBron James. Joel Embiid had a triple-double with 28 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, and Jaylen Brown scored 27 points on his 30th birthday, according to the Associated Press.

The Sixers moved to 3-0. The Bucks are 0-3.

Bucks vs. 76ers final score

Is LeBron playing tonight?

James was ruled out Saturday for lower back pain management in the first game of a back-to-back, and he was expected to play Sunday night at home against Detroit, ESPN reported. Coach Nick Nurse said before the game that James had not expressed any pain or discomfort with his back. The 41-year-old, in his NBA-record 24th season, had averaged 15.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in his first two games with Philadelphia. Dean Wade started in his place and scored seven points in his season debut after missing two games with an ankle injury.

How the Sixers closed it out

Tyrese Maxey hit a 46-footer to end the first quarter and a fadeaway jumper to end the third that put Philadelphia up 10, per the AP. Milwaukee made a late push, but Brown’s 3-pointer off an Embiid pass made it 120-114 and gave Embiid his triple-double. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope then hit a 3 off a turnover for a nine-point lead that ended the comeback bid.

Bucks vs. 76ers player stats

Other notes

Sixers backup big man Jabari Walker tweaked his left knee in the third quarter and left the game; Nurse said it would be evaluated, ESPN reported. First-round pick Labaron Philon Jr. made his NBA debut. Philadelphia’s win came two days after it rallied from 29 points down to beat Cleveland on Thursday, the biggest comeback win for any of James’ teams in his career.

What’s next

The 76ers host Detroit on Sunday. The Bucks host Indiana on Monday.

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