Joel Embiid posts triple-double, 76ers handle Bucks

Joel Embiid recorded his 10th career triple-double and Jaylen Brown scored 27 points on his 30th birthday to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 127-116 home win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday.

Embiid finished with 28 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for Philadelphia, which rested LeBron James (back/sciatica). James is expected to play Sunday against the Detroit Pistons, while Embiid will rest in the second half of a back-to-back.

Tyrese Maxey pitched in with 26 points for the Sixers, while VJ Edgecombe made five 3-pointers as part of a 17-point, 13-rebound performance.

While the Sixers are 3-0 on the young season, the Bucks fell to 0-3 despite eight players scoring in double figures. Jaime Jaquez Jr. led Milwaukee with 21 points, while Kel’el Ware had 19 points and 13 rebounds for the visitors.

The teams were tied at 82-82 with four minutes left in the third quarter before the Sixers ended the period on a 15-5 push. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Maxey each made a 3-pointer during that surge, which Maxey capped with a tough fadeaway with the quarter winding down.

Philadelphia started to pull away early in the fourth.

Embiid’s jumper gave the hosts a 113-98 lead with about six minutes left. The Sixers still held a comfortable advantage at 117-108 with 3:18 to go before the Bucks rattled off six in a row in just over a minute to make it a three-point game.

However, Edgecombe came up with a big offensive rebound on the other end, leading to a 3-pointer by Brown. Then on the next Philadelphia possession, Brown found Caldwell-Pope for a 3-pointer that essentially sealed the outcome.

Philadelphia knocked down five 3-pointers in the first quarter — three by Edgecombe — en route to a 34-25 lead after 12 minutes.

The Sixers struggled to find a rhythm in the second quarter, as they shot just 33.3% from the field (9 of 27). Brown led all scorers with 16 points in the first half. (Reuters)

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Victim identified in fatal shooting near 2nd Avenue and 23rd Street

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — The man who was killed in a fatal shooting on Friday evening near 2nd Ave. and 23rd St. has been identified, according to Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan. According to Buddy, 62-year-old Robert Haygood was shot multiple times in a vacant lot at the intersection of 2nd Ave. and 23rd St. [...]

Columbus man sentenced for arson in Talbot County after pleading guilty to burning more than 100 acres

TALBOT, COUNTY, Ga. (WRBL) — A Columbus man has been sentenced on felony arson charges after pleading guilty to deliberately burning nearly 110 acres of land in Talbot County. According to the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC), 52-year-old William Shane Harvey was arrested near the 108-acre wildfire in March of 2025. Harvey was charged with second-degree [...]

Brandon Miller scores 34 as Hornets hold off Heat

Brandon Miller pumped in 34 points and the Charlotte Hornets recovered to beat the visiting Miami Heat 115-110 after a huge lead was wiped out in the fourth quarter Saturday night.

Dennis Schroder added 25 points, Naz Reid scored 23 and Grayson Allen contributed 20, including a crucial four-point play. Miller was the only one of Charlotte’s top four scorers who played for the Hornets last season.

Davion Mitchell’s 22 points and 10 assists paced the Heat, who remained winless through three games despite erasing a 23-point deficit to tie the score at 100.

Bam Adebayo’s 20 points and eight rebounds gave Miami a lift, Pelle Larsson supplied 15 points, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Klay Thompson each had 14, and Bobby Portis scored 13.

The Hornets looked headed for a comfortable win less than 24 hours after a 47-point home-opener loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

Still, the Heat erased a 23-point lead with a stunning comeback in the first six minutes of the fourth quarter.

Miami opened the fourth quarter with a 10-2 run to cut the lead to 98-85. That run extended to a 25-4 edge as the Heat pulled even at 100-100 with less than six minutes to play. Mitchell provided the final five points of that rally.

The Heat never took the lead, however, and Allen converted a four-point play to give Charlotte a 108-104 advantage. Schroder added two free throws before Miami mounted one final push.

Mitchell’s 3-pointer trimmed the gap to 113-110 with 8.1 seconds left. Allen countered with a pair of free throws.

The Heat made 23 of 25 free-throw attempts to help offset 43% shooting from the field.

Miller finished 10-for-29 from the field and made 11 of 12 free throws.

Reid sank five of Charlotte’s 16 baskets from 3-point range and Allen finished with four.

Charlotte led 66-58 at halftime, then cranked out a 30-17 edge in the third quarter.

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Prominent basketball program reportedly bars players from creating content with Dan Eugenio

A prominent basketball program in the Philippines has reportedly prohibited its players from collaborating with content creator Dan Eugenio of Player Spotted 2.0 Facebook page.

Fastbreak has learned that players from the unnamed program had been advised against appearing in social media content with Eugenio, with the activity allegedly viewed by the program as a potential distraction from their basketball commitments.

Eugenio reportedly approached the program and its players to produce content, but the request was not approved by the management.

The reported restriction has sparked discussion online about how basketball programs should balance players’ responsibilities on the court with opportunities to build their profiles through social media.

While some may view content creation as a distraction from training and competition, it can also provide athletes with exposure and help them connect with supporters beyond basketball.

Neither the basketball program nor its management was identified in the report, and the claims have not been independently verified. (By the Staff)

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Smiths Station Mayor Richard Cooley dies

SMITHS STATION, Ala. (WRBL) — Mayor of Smiths Station, Richard Cooley, has died on Saturday after 20 years of service to the city. Smiths Station Government officials said Cooley died peacefully on Saturday, surrounded by his family and loved ones. Cooley was sworn in as mayor of Smiths Station in Nov. 2023. Along with two [...]

Columbus residents 'strolling to the polls' for early voting

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — The annual Stroll to the Polls got underway Saturday morning in Columbus. The event is organized each year by the Columbus Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. RELATED: Columbus residents “Stroll to the Polls” for early voting The stroll to the City Services Center, an early voting site, began [...]