PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Tobias Harris scored 19 points, and Daniss Jenkins added 16 points and 14 assists as the Detroit Pistons beat the Philadelphia 76ers 116-93 Saturday night to clinch the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
The last time the Pistons (56-21) were the top seed in the East was in 2006-07. They have already clinched the Central Division title for the first time since 2007-08.
Jalen Duren added 16 points and seven rebounds, and Ausar Thompson had 14 points for the Pistons, who have won 12 of their last 15 games.
Both Duren (illness) and Harris (left knee contusion) had been listed as questionable. The Pistons are 8-2 in the 10 games that Cade Cunningham has missed with a collapsed left lung.
Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 23 points. Paul George scored 20 points, and VJ Edgecombe added 19. George has averaged 25.8 points in six games since returning from a 25-game suspension for violating the league’s drug policy.
The 76ers played without Joel Embiid, who was ruled out with right oblique injury maintenance/illness in the second half of a back-to-back. The Sixers had won eight of their last 11.
The teams went back and forth in the first half, the Pistons leading by 10 points after one quarter before the 76ers tied the game in the second. A 15-4 run to end the first half gave Detroit control, and the Pistons stretched their lead to 26 points in the second half.
Up next
Pistons: Visit Orlando on Monday.
76ers: Start a three-game trip in San Antonio on Monday.
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