BEN Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers are officially level with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference standings.

While the No.3 seed Cavs are still to play today (AEST), both teams now sit at 46-30 on the season, after the Sixers downed the Charlotte Hornets 119-102 to win their 10th straight game.

Simmons ran the show in Joel Embiid’s absence, dropping 20 points, eight rebounds, 15 assists, three steals, and two blocks.

The Sixers set a team record with its ninth straight game of 30 or more assists - they had 36 on their 48 baskets.

Former Hornet Marco Belinelli scored 22 points off the bench and J.J. Redick had 20. Robert Covington added 17 points and 11 rebounds.

After falling behind 33-28 early in the second quarter, the 76ers went on a 13-1 surge to go ahead with 6:53 left in the opening half.

The Sixers led 68-55 early in the second half. After the Hornets went on a 16-3 surge to get within 72-71 midway through the third quarter, the 76ers scored 14 straight points to pull away.

Charlotte was led by Malik Monk and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist with 16 points apiece. Willy Hernangomez added 15 points and 11 rebounds.

“I think the way we play, we’re not a selfish team, we pass the ball,” Simmons told reporters post-game.

“We’re missing guys who play a big role, but it just leads to other guys stepping up; everyone’s been playing well.”

“The game is just getting a lot easier, just reading the plays, knowing how guys want to play with me, how they cut, where they want to get their shots from; it’s just easy for me to pass the ball and get them open shots,” Simmons added.

“I think at the start of the season I was just trying to find my place, and knowing that I’m the point guard of the team and having the ball in my hands a lot of the time, I need to be a lot more vocal and one of the leaders on the floor.”

Coach Brett Brown certainly has had to deal with Joel Embiid being out of his lineup before, but offered great sympathy for the most recent injury (orbital fracture) that will keep him for the rest of the regular season.

“For him to continue to have setbacks, you feel for him,” Brown said of Embiid, a 2014 first-round pick who missed the entire 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons, 51 games in the 2016-17 season and will miss 19 games this season.