Game 3 between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Toronto Raptors gave us an epic ending. With 2.5 seconds of overtime remaining and a 101-101 tie, Sixers All-Star center Joel Embiid pulled off what was arguably the greatest shot of his entire career.
The ball was fed to Embiid just behind the 3-point line with less than a second left on the shot clock, and the big guy corraled the pass, turned and launched a shot over Raptors guard Fred VanVleet. The ball flew towards the rim like a heat-seeking missile, hitting nothing but the bottom of the net. syringes
The shot — Embiid’s first career winner — gave the Sixers a 104-101 lead and a comfortable 3-0 series lead over Toronto. The streak isn’t over yet, but such a lead has historically proved unassailable, as never has a team come back from a 3-0 deficit in league history to pursue a best-of-seven streak to win.
The shot had to be especially draining for the Raptors after they played their best game of the series by far. Toronto were 2-0 down and obviously wanted to avoid falling into that 3-0 hole. Toronto came out Wednesday night with an added sense of urgency and intensity, leading for much of the game as a result. The Raptors held a 10-point lead after a quarter and maintained that lead in the dressing room at halftime.
However, the Sixers began to fight back in the second half, thanks largely to an 18-point third quarter from Embiid. Philadelphia cut Toronto’s lead to one after 36 minutes and they apparently equalized it by the end of regulation time. Finally, in overtime, Embiid’s dagger proved decisive. The Sixers didn’t have a single lead in the game until overtime. With that stat alone, the Raptors must feel like one got away from them.
After his and the Sixers’ 2019 playoff hopes were dashed by a Raptors game winner at the same arena, Embiid had to feel good about paying back. But while the big dude was obviously happy with the outcome of Game 3, he’s also keenly aware that the streak isn’t over yet.
“This is the best [shot of my career]but the job is not done yet,” Embiid said after the game. “We have one more, so we have to come back here in two days and try to beat them again.”
Embiid (33 points, 13 rebounds) led Philadelphia in Game 3, but he also got his fair share of help as he has all the series. James Harden and Tyrese Maxey both had 19 points, and Harden combined his point production with 10 assists. Tobias Harris also contributed with a double-double (11 points, 12 rebounds). The Sixers have benefited from a balanced scoring attack all series.
On the other hand, OG Anunoby scored 26 points and grabbed five rebounds for Toronto, Gary Trent Jr. added 24 points despite struggling with illness, and Precious Achiuwa was a 20-point substitute. As a team, they forced 24 turnovers, but in the end it just wasn’t enough. After three games it’s clear they’re overwhelmed in the series and at this point any result other than the rise of the Sixers would be shocking.
For Embiid, his 3-pointer in overtime was the most memorable single shot of his career so far, and while it may have been his first career win, there’s a good chance it won’t be his last.