Joel Embiid injury takes shine off Sixers' win over Wizards

All-star lands badly but Philadelphia coast to fifth straight win

Joel Embiid # of the Philadelphia 76ers after getting injured in the second half against the Washington Wizards. AFP

The Philadelphia 76ers' big 127-101 victory over the Washington Wizards was marred by the early exit of centre Joel Embiid with an apparent leg injury.

Philadelphia's all-star was forced from the game midway through the third quarter, when Embiid landed awkwardly following a dunk.

However the Sixers battled through his loss, coasting to their fifth straight win to remain on top of the Eastern Conference. Danny Green, Seth Curry, Embiid and Matisse Thybulle all broke the 20-point barrier.

A 28-point effort from Nikola Jokic helped the Denver Nuggets squeeze past the Memphis Grizzlies 103-102.

The Serbian was dominant down the stretch for the Nuggets, scoring Denver's last five points and getting in the way of Ja Morant's last-gasp attempt at the rim to clinch the narrow win.

Dillon Brooks and Brandon Clarke led the way for Memphis, each posting 20 points.

The Miami Heat continued their mid-season resurgence with a 101-90 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic combined for 53 points as the Heat secured their ninth win in 10 games.

The Los Angeles Lakers left it until late to snatch a 105-100 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

The Lakers outscored the Pacers by 13 points in the fourth quarter to arrest their two-game losing streak and hang onto third in the Western Conference.

In the rest of the day's action the New Orleans Pelicans cruised past the Cleveland Cavaliers 116-82, Donovan Mitchell scored 28 points to lead the Utah Jazz over the Houston Rockets 114-99 and the San Antonio Spurs demolished the Orlando Magic 104-77.