Simmons scores 34 in triple-double, carries 76ers past Nets

NEW YORK (AP) — Ben Simmons tied a career high with 34 points and added 12 rebounds and 12 assists, carrying the Philadelphia 76ers to a 117-111 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday.

Announced as the Eastern Conference player of the week during the game, Simmons got a good start on winning the next week’s award, too. He shot 12 for 14 from the field in his career-best fifth straight game with 20 or more points, finishing with his fourth triple-double of the season.

Al Horford added 19 points for the 76ers, who won their fourth consecutive game. Tobias Harris and Josh Richardson each scored 15.

Spencer Dinwiddie scored 22 points for the Nets, who played without Kyrie Irving because of hamstring tightness and lost their fourth straight. Caris LeVert had 16 points and rookie Nicolas Claxton added a career-best 15.

The Nets led 91-82 on Claxton’s follow dunk with 1:41 left in the third, but the Sixers scored the final eight points of the period. Simmons got the last six, including two free throws after he was flagrantly fouled by Claxton, who fell hard onto the court.

He scored again to open the fourth and give Philadelphia a 92-91 lead, which grew to 97-91 when Raul Neto capped its 15-0 run with a 3-pointer.

Philadelphia’s lead grew to 105-96 on a basket by Simmons before the Nets scored eight straight while the 76ers went scoreless for nearly five minutes. Horford finally ended that drought when Simmons found him for a 3-pointer and a 108-104 edge with 1:22 to play, and Furkan Korkmaz hit another 3 to put them up five with 23 seconds remaining.

The Nets committed 22 turnovers and shot 64.7% on free throws while losing for the 11th time in 13 games.

Claxton is a second-round pick getting extended minutes after backup center DeAndre Jordan suffered a finger injury. Claxton scored 14 points Saturday in a loss to Milwaukee, then went 5 for 5 for 13 points in nine first-half minutes Monday as Brooklyn took a 68-64 lead.

TIP-INS

76ers: Simmons averaged 21.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 7.3 assists last week. The 76ers went 3-1. … Coach Brett Brown said there was no update on Joel Embiid’s recovery from surgery on a torn ligament in his left hand.

Nets: The Nets got starters Joe Harris and Garrett Temple back from injuries. Harris scored 12 points. … Jarrett Allen had 13 points and 13 rebounds, while Taurean Prince had 12 points and 12 boards.

UP NEXT

76ers: Visit Toronto on Wednesday.

Nets: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.