76ers barely hold off Pelicans

Tobias Harris scored 29 as the visiting Philadelphia 76ers held on to defeat the New Orleans Pelicans 111-110 on Monday night.After Julius Randle scored on a dunk to pull New Orleans within one point with 10.9 seconds left, Philadelphia’s Jonathon Simmons missed two free throws with 9.7 seconds to go, giving the Pelicans a chance to take the lead. However, Jimmy Butler got a hand on E’Twaun Moore’s 3-point attempt, forcing a miss just before the buzzer.The 76ers led by 17 points early in the second half.JJ Redick added 16 points, Ben Simmons had 14 points and 12 rebounds, Mike Scott scored 12 points, and Butler had 11 points for the 76ers. Boban Marjanovic contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds before being helped from the court after sustaining a knee injury late in the fourth quarter.Sixers All-Star Center Joel Embiid sat out his third consecutive game to rest a sore left knee.Jrue Holiday led the Pelicans with 22 points, and Randle had 19 points and 14 rebounds. Anthony Davis, who returned to the lineup after sitting out a 128-115 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers to rest Saturday night, had 18 points, and Elfrid Payton added 10 points and 14 assists.Butler made consecutive jumpers to give Philadelphia a 110-100 lead with 2:48 left, but New Orleans scored four straight points.Holiday’s 3-pointer cut the margin to three, and the Pelicans had two chances to get closer, but Holiday committed a turnover and then missed a 3-point attempt with 45.7 seconds left.After a missed 3-point try by Harris, New Orleans got the ball back with 20.8 seconds remaining.After Holiday made one of two free throws, Harris did the same with 16.4 seconds left, setting up the late-game drama.The Sixers scored the first four points of the third quarter to increase their 13-point halftime lead.T.J. McConnell’s basket with 35.8 seconds left gave the Sixers a 93-83 lead after three quarters.Scott’s 3-pointer early in the fourth pushed the margin to 14 before New Orleans scored the next seven points.Butler made a layup and Redick hit a 3-pointer before the Sixers went nearly four minutes without scoring.The Pelicans couldn’t take full advantage, scoring just four points during the drought to close within 104-96.