Joel Embiid suffered a nasal fracture on Friday during another tough night for the Philadelphia 76ers, while Santi Aldama shined for the Memphis Grizzlies in their victory over Jordi Fernández and his Brooklyn Nets. The game also featured controversy surrounding Ja Morant.

Sixers 107, Pacers 121

In the final minute before halftime, Joel Embiid suffered a nasal fracture after an accidental blow from Bennedict Mathurin while battling for a rebound. The 2023 MVP did not return to the court, finishing with 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists.

The Sixers announced after the game that Embiid will undergo further testing this weekend but did not provide a timeline for his recovery.

This was only the sixth game of the season for Embiid (out of 23 for the team) in what has been a year filled with misfortune for the Sixers, who now hold a poor 7-16 record. Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 22 points.

Tyrese Haliburton delivered an outstanding performance for Indiana, finishing with 32 points and 11 assists to improve the Pacers to 11-15.

Grizzlies 135, Nets 119

With 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 5-of-9 shooting from three-point range in just 26 minutes off the bench, Santi Aldama was once again a key figure for the Grizzlies. Memphis secured their 10th win in the last 11 games and now sit second in the Western Conference with an 18-8 record.

Three other Memphis players scored over 20 points: Ja Morant (28 points, 7 rebounds, and 10 assists), Desmond Bane (21 points and 8 assists), and Jaren Jackson Jr. (20 points and 7 rebounds). The Grizzlies excelled from beyond the arc, shooting 47.2% (17-of-36).

The Nets, coached by Jordi Fernández, have now lost five of their last six games. Eight Brooklyn players reached double digits in scoring, but none surpassed 20 points. Dorian Finney-Smith was the most productive with 19 points, including 5-of-8 from three-point range.

The game included heated moments, and in the post-game press conference, Fernández criticized Morant's attitude for taunting during the matchup.

"I will never speak to opposing players, and I don't want them talking to me either. If they want to be respectful, that's part of the game. But if not, I don't want any interaction. I think it’s disrespectful and has no place in basketball," he said.

Timberwolves 97, Lakers 87

The Lakers (13-12) suffered their eighth loss in their last 11 games, falling to Minnesota in a dismal performance with 22 turnovers that led to 27 points for their opponents.

Without LeBron James, Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 23 points and 11 rebounds, but the team struggled with their shooting, hitting just 38.4% from the field and 28.6% from three-point range (10-of-35).

For the Timberwolves (13-11), who have won five of their last six games, Anthony Edwards (23 points and 6 rebounds), Jaden McDaniels (18 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 steals), and Julius Randle (21 points) were the key contributors.

Nuggets 120, Clippers 98

The Nuggets (13-10) didn’t need a heroic performance from Nikola Jokic to secure a dominant win over the Clippers (14-12), who are now on a three-game losing streak.

Jamal Murray led Denver with 20 points, while Jokic added 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting and grabbed 7 rebounds. Six Nuggets players finished with double-digit scoring.

For the Clippers, Norman Powell and Kevin Porter Jr. both scored 16 points, while James Harden contributed 15 points but turned the ball over nine times.

Cavaliers 115, Wizards 105

The Cavaliers (22-4) maintained their dominance atop the Eastern Conference with another victory. Darius Garland (24 points and 8 assists), Donovan Mitchell (20 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists), and Jarrett Allen (21 points and 11 rebounds) led the way for Cleveland.

For the Wizards (3-20), who remain at the bottom of the East, Bilal Coulibaly stood out with 27 points and 6 rebounds.

Jazz 126, Suns 134

Devin Booker (34 points and 8 assists) and Kevin Durant (30 points and 8 assists in his return) guided the Suns (13-11) to a much-needed win after three straight losses.

Jordan Clarkson led the Jazz (5-19) with 23 points. Phoenix will look to build on this win in their next matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers, who are on a five-game losing streak.

In other games:

• The Chicago Bulls defeated the Charlotte Hornets 109-95.
• The San Antonio Spurs beat the Portland Trail Blazers 118-116 behind a stellar performance from Victor Wembanyama, who tallied 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists, including two game-winning free throws in the final seconds.