Covington converts 3-pointer to send 76ers past Blazers
PHILADELPHIA -- Robert Covington's 3-pointer with 4.5 seconds remaining lifted Philadelphia to a 93-92 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night, the 76ers' sixth victory in seven games and eighth in 10.
Covington, who finished with 22 points, took a pass from T.J. McConnell and connected from the left wing.
Portland's Mason Plumlee then missed a layup in traffic at the buzzer as the Trail Blazers dropped their fourth straight game.
Ersan Ilyasova scored a season-high 24 points for Philadelphia.
Joel Embiid, the Sixers' rookie center, collected 18 points and 10 rebounds but left the game after sustaining a contusion of his left knee in the third quarter. He later returned but departed for good with 8:50 left in the game.
Damian Lillard scored 30 points for Portland. C.J. McCollumn added 16 and Plumlee contributed 14 points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots.
The Blazers went up 91-87 on Plumlee's free throw with 58.5 seconds left, but Covington nailed a 3-pointer after Dario Saric rebounded a missed 3-point attempt by Philadelphia's Gerald Henderson, cutting the gap to one.
Lillard made the first of two free throws with 14.7 seconds left but missed the second. Covington then hit his decisive shot.
It was the second game-winner this month for Covington. He also converted a lob in the closing seconds of a Jan. 3 victory over Minnesota.
Lillard poured in 16 first-quarter points to help stake the Blazers to a 33-22 lead and they continued to pour it on in the second quarter even as Lillard rested.
A jumper by former Sixer Evan Turner with 2:17 left put Portland up 52-38, its biggest lead of the half. By the break, the Blazers' cushion was 56-43 and Lillard had 20 points.
Ilyasova scored 13 points in the half, but the Sixers shot just 37 percent from the field as a team and committed 11 turnovers.
Philadelphia's five reserves were a combined 3 of 18 from the floor.
The Sixers clawed back in the third quarter behind Ilyasova, who made three 3-pointers and scored 11 points in the quarter. A three-point play by Robert Covington with 3:23 left put Philadelphia ahead 66-65, its first lead since early in the game.
McCollum buried a 3-pointer from the top of the circle with 32 seconds left in the quarter, however, triggering an 13-3 rush bridging the third and fourth quarters. That put Portland in front 81-73 with 9:49 remaining in the game.
NOTES: The Sixers signed and waived G Mo Williams in a move designed to help them get to the salary cap floor, then signed G Chasson Randle to a second 10-day contract. Randle said it was "a sigh of relief" when he learned he would be retained. "It's a great feeling to know that I get another shot at this, and (get to) be around this team, be around this staff another 10 days," he said. "I'm just thankful." ... 76ers coach Brett Brown said he will lobby his fellow coaches in an attempt to get C Joel Embiid voted an All-Star reserve. "I feel like he deserves a little effort," Brown said, "and he deserves it in general." ... Portland F Ed Davis returned after missing Wednesday's loss in Charlotte with a sprained left ankle.