LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Brandon Miller scored 26 points and grabbed eight rebounds to power the Charlotte Hornets over the San Antonio Spurs 111-106 on Saturday for their sixth consecutive National Basketball Association (NBA) triumph.

Miller, taken just behind Spurs top pick Victor Wembanyama in the 2023 NBA Draft, helped the hosts hold on after San Antonio sliced their 20-point lead to 106-104 with 97 seconds remaining.

After Wembanyama missed a potential tying three-pointer, Miller sank two free throws — running his streak of made shots from the line to 38 — with 10.6 seconds remaining to create the final margin of victory.

“Got to take my hat off to them. Very competitive players,” Miller said of the Spurs’ fightback.

“Everybody came out with the mindset of competing at the highest level and making every winning play they can and that’s how we got the win.”

Collin Sexton added 21 off the bench and LaMelo Ball scored 16 points with, eight rebounds and eight assists for Charlotte, whose win streak is their longest since March 2016.

Spurs reserve Dylan Harper scored 20 points. French All-Star Wembanyama had 16 points and eight rebounds while Stephon Castle added 16 points and nine assists.

In Philadelphia, Joel Embiid scored 40 points and added 11 rebounds to help the 76ers hold on for a 124-114 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, hours after Sixers star Paul George was suspended 25 games for violating the NBA Anti-Drug Program.

George told ESPN he mistakenly took an unapproved medication as part of mental health treatment, vowing to use his time away to be ready to help the team when he’s eligible to return in March.

Without him, the 76ers had to battle. Former NBA Most Valuable Player Embiid scored 17 points in the fourth quarter.