Joel Embiid popped up from a pregame fall and scored 27 points with nine rebounds, making 4 of 5 from 3-point range and sinking a pair of free throws with 3 seconds left to turn back Boston’s final rally and lead the visiting Philadelphia 76ers to a 118-114 victory on Wednesday.

Tyrese Maxey had 33 points and 12 assists. He scored 13 in the fourth quarter, including a quick-trigger layup to open a seven-point lead with about a minute left after the Sixers inbounded the ball with 1.1 seconds on the shot clock. Caleb Martin scored 23, hitting 7 of 9 from 3-point range.

Embiid was shooting near the sideline about 45 minutes before tipoff and appeared to get caught up in a security rope separating the players from the fans sitting courtside. The 2023 NBA MVP grabbed his right ankle and remained on the court for a minute before walking off to the locker room.

When the Sixers returned to the court for a separate shooting session a few minutes before tipoff, Embiid was late to join them. He eventually did come out and warmed up as usual.

“It was a little sore, but it was Christmas,” Embiid said after soaking both ankles in tubs of ice in the Philadelphia locker room following the game. “I’ve got to play on Christmas.”

Jayson Tatum scored 32 points with 15 rebounds for the Celtics, Jaylen Brown added 23 pointd.

Boston center Kristaps Porzingis, who has missed all but nine games this season with injuries, did not return for the second half. The team said he had an ankle injury.

A two-time NBA scoring champion, Embiid is averaging 21.3 points and seven rebounds per game this season — far below his career averages. He has missed all but nine games due to left knee soreness, a sinus fracture and a three-game suspension for an altercation with a reporter in the locker room.

“You can’t feel bad about yourself,” he said. “Life is life; it happens. You do whatever is necessary to get better and get back on the floor. But it is tough.”

Embiid wore a mask while playing in just his third game since the sinus fracture. He was ejected from his previous game, on Monday against San Antonio, after picking up his second technical foul in the second quarter for arguing with a referee.

KNICKS 117, SPURS 114 >> Mikal Bridges scored a season-high 41 points, and New York overcame 42 from Victor Wembanyama in a monster Christmas debut to edge San Antonio at Madison Square Garden.

Wembanyama set a Spurs’ record for points on the holiday and added 18 rebounds, four assists and four blocks. He made six 3-pointers.

But Bridges shot 17 for 25 from the field, 6 for 9 behind the arc, to make sure the Knicks had just enough offense to win their fifth in a row and improve to 20-10.

Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 points and nine rebounds, and Jalen Brunson scored 20 points. Josh Hart had 12 points, 12 boards and six assists.

Jeremy Sochan had 21 points and nine rebounds for the Spurs.

TIMBERWOLVES 105, MAVERICKS 99 >> Anthony Edwards scored 26 points, and Minnesota held on for a road victory over Dallas after Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic left the game with a strained left calf.

Doncic pulled up lame while running a play late in the second quarter. Then it got wild when the Mavs erased almost all of a 28-point deficit in the second half.

The five-time All-Star never made it back to the defensive end and limped off the court after Dallas called timeout. It was Doncic’s second game back after missing two with a left heel contusion.

Kyrie Irving scored 39 points but was short on a 3-pointer that would have put the Mavs ahead in the final minute.

Rudy Gobert had 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Doncic, who scored 14 in 16 minutes and is averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game, missed five games this season with a right rist sprain.

Dallas coach Jason Kidd had no update on Doncic after the game.

“It’s kind of deflating,” said Klay Thompson, who passed Reggie Miller for fifth on the career 3-point list during the spirited Dallas rally. “We have such a deep roster, and that’s why we can withstand this time without him. We obviously are not the same without Luka in the lineup. We are going to do everything we can to go on a run here without him.”

Thompson finished with 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting from 3. He now has 2,562 career 3-pointers to Miller’s 2,560.