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Ben Simmons fires, 76ers win again in NBA

Murray WenzelAAP
A committed Ben Simmons (l) stepped up again as the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Detroit Pistons.
Camera IconA committed Ben Simmons (l) stepped up again as the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Detroit Pistons.

Ben Simmons has notched a season-high 20 points in a win over Detroit Pistons to ensure the Philadelphia 76ers maintained space at the top of the NBA's Eastern Conference standings.

The Australian playmaker had 16 first-half points and finished with nine rebounds and seven assists in the 114-110 win on Sunday (AEDT), carrying on from a dominant fourth-quarter performance to eclipse Boston a day earlier.

He was again busy defensively, racing back to slap an airborne shot into the backboard and away from danger as the Pistons attempted to rally late on their home floor.

The two-time NBA All-Star had been criticised for a lack of offensive aggression this season.

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But he's responded with back-to-back starring performances and now boasts a stat line of 12.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game this season.

He is in the conversation for the NBA's defensive player of the year honours, but more pressingly has helped the 76ers to a 12-5 start under new coach Doc Rivers.

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Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks are the conference's next-best performing sides with 9-6 records.

Simmons and Joel Embiid (33 points and 14 rebounds) traded free throws in the final 30 seconds to get the 76ers' home, Embiid notching his 50th performance of more than 30 points and 10 rebounds in the process.

Wayne Ellington scored 17 points for the Pistons (3-13), who led 63-61 at halftime and kept the game competitive despite being without Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose.

In Salt Lake City, Australian swingman Joe Ingles came off the bench and made three-of-six from beyond the arc to finish with 13 points as Utah Jazz trounced Golden State Warriors 127-108.

The win took the Jazz to 12-4 and equal top with Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers on a stacked Western Conference ladder.

Elsewhere James Harden (12 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds) celebrated his first win at Brooklyn alongside Kyrie Irving (28 points, seven rebounds and six assists) and Kevin Durant (31 points).

But they were made to sweat against Miami, who were powered by Bam Adebayo (41 points, nine rebounds) in the 128-124 win.

The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the New Orleans Pelicans 120-110 despite 30 points from Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram.

And the Lakers beat Chicago 101-90, Dallas were upset by Houston 133-108 and Denver overcame Phoenix 120-112 in double overtime.

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