Apr 21, 2018 4 min read

Ben Simmons had the first playoff triple-double by a rookie in nearly 40 years, JJ Redick scored 24 points and the Philadelphia 76ers outlasted the Miami Heat 106-102 on Saturday to move within a victory of the second round.

The 76ers lead the Eastern Conference series 3-1 and can close out the Heat when play resumes in Philadelphia on Tuesday night.

Simmons became the first rookie since Magic Johnson in 1980 to post a playoff triple-double – 17 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists. Joel Embiid finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds for Philadelphia.

Dwyane Wade led all scorers with 25 points off the bench for the Heat, who led by 12 points in the second half before letting a game they almost certainly had to have slip away.

Wade carried the comeback effort, with the Heat down six and less than 2 minutes left. His three-point play cut the margin in half and his next two field goals got Miami within one each time.

The Heat got no closer.

Goran Dragic scored 20, James Johnson had 15 and Hassan Whiteside finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds for Miami, which now needs to pull off some history.

The Heat have erased a 3-1 deficit only once, in 1997 against New York.

Miami held slim leads at the half – 2-0 in players who went to the locker room injured, 4-0 in stitches received, 61-56 on the scoreboard.

A wild scene was the story of the second quarter. Philadelphia’s Dario Saric was driving from the right wing and had his dribble knocked away by Justise Winslow, and four players wound up on the floor as they went for the loose ball. Josh Richardson took the worst of it, getting slammed into by Embiid. Richardson stayed down for more than a minute, eventually getting helped to his feet and to the Miami locker room.

Hardly anyone noticed.

All eyes were on the other end, where Dragic was shoved to the floor by Robert Covington. James Johnson – a black belt and MMA fighter – took exception and went toward Covington, so Simmons came in for a few words.

It wound up taking two referees, two Heat coaches and a few players to get everyone separated.

Curry cleared to practice: Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry has been cleared to take part in modified practices but will be out at least one more week with a left knee injury.

The Warriors said Curry was examined by the team’s medical staff Friday and is making progress in recovering from the grade 2 left MCL sprain that has sidelined him since March 23.

Curry will be allowed to take part in modified practices beginning Saturday and increase his on-court rehabilitation. He will be re-evaluated again in one week.

The Warriors lead San Antonio 3-0 in their first-round series.

If they advance today, the second round could start as early as April 28.

New Orleans 131, Portland 123: Anthony Davis scored 33 of his franchise playoff-record 47 points in the second half, and the New Orleans Pelicans completed a first-round playoff sweep of the Portland Trail Blazers with a 131-123 victory.

Jrue Holiday capped his 41-point performance with an 18-foot pull-up jumper that gave the Pelicans a six-point lead with 40 seconds left.

Rajon Rondo added 16 assists, and Davis also had 11 rebounds and three blocks for New Orleans, which is moving on to the second round of the playoffs for only the second time since the NBA returned to the city 16 seasons ago.

C.J. McCollum scored 38 for the Trail Blazers, which responded to a blowout loss in Game 3 by keeping Game 4 close until the final minute. Al-Farouq Aminu scored 27, Damian Lillard added 18 points and Jusuf Nurkic had 18 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out.