Raptors: Embiid hits OT dagger, Sixers take 3-0 series lead

Toronto –

Joel Embiid scored a dagger three-pointer with 0.8 seconds left in time beyond regulation to carry the Philadelphia 76ers to a 104-101 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, taking a 3-0 lead of their first-round playoff collection.

Embiid completed with 33 factors and 13 rebounds, spoiling the primary Raptors playoff motion in Toronto in three years.

OG Anunoby had 26 factors for the Raptors, who led by as many as 17 factors. Gary Trent Jr., scored a profession playoff excessive 24 factors regardless of preventing an sickness the previous week.

Valuable Achiuwa had 20 factors, whereas Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet each had off nights, with simply 12 factors apiece for the Raptors, who had been lacking NBA rookie of the yr finalist Scottie Barnes.

The Raptors raced out to an early 17-point lead, lastly wanting just like the staff that gained 14 of 18 video games down the stretch. They shot 52.4 per cent within the first half and pestered Philly into 15 turnovers.

However the Raptors went flat within the third quarter, capturing simply 1-for-7 from behind the arc, and when Embiid linked on a free throw with 5.5 seconds left within the body, the Sixers had pulled to inside 75-74 with one quarter to play.

Neither staff led by greater than three factors in a hard-fought fourth quarter earlier than VanVleet discovered Anunoby within the nook for an extended bomb, and Achiuwa scored on a putback for a five-point cushion with two minutes to play.

Harden’s free throw with 49.7 seconds left tied the sport. The previous NBA MVP fouled out of the sport 20 seconds later, cheered off the ground by the raucous crowd.

Achiuwa missed a pair of free throws with 27.2 seconds left, however Toronto locked down on the defensive finish to power an additional interval with the sport tied 95-95.

Within the additional interval, Anunoby hit a clutch basket because the shot clock sounded for a one-point lead with 2:58 to play, however Embiid replied to place Philly again up. Embiid fouled Anunoby with 26.2 seconds left, and scored on one in all his two free throws whereas a furious Sixers coach Doc Rivers raged on the official.

Inexperienced inbounded the ball with 2.6 seconds left and Embiid hit the winner to ship Raptors followers dwelling heartbroken.

The Raptors ought to get reinforcements for Recreation 4. Coach Nick Nurse expects Barnes, who sprained his left ankle in Recreation 1, to play Saturday. The finalist for rookie of the yr wasn’t sporting a strolling boot on the bench Wednesday, and was on his ft cheering for a lot of the sport.

The Raptors hadn’t made a playoff look in Toronto since Recreation 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals, a one-point loss to Golden State that was memorable for Kevin Durant’s ruptured Achilles tendon.

COVID-19 pressured the 2020 season to complete within the NBA bubble at Disneyworld, and the Raptors had been exiled in Tampa, Fla., final season on account of border restrictions. A COVID outbreak in March of final season noticed them somersault down the standings to complete twelfth, the one yr they’ve missed the playoffs prior to now 9 seasons.

The 76ers cruised to straightforward wins in Video games 1 and a pair of, by scores of 131-11 and 112-97.

The Raptors jumped out to an early 10-point lead on Wednesday, forcing the Sixers to commit 9 turnovers within the first quarter alone. Philadelphia turned the ball over simply 4 instances in all of Recreation 1.

Anunoby had 10 factors within the body and his three-pointer with 31 seconds left despatched the Raptors into the second quarter up 29-19.

Toronto opened the second with a 9-2 run to go up by 17 factors, however the Sixers battled again and Harden’s driving layup with 1:40 left minimize the distinction to only six factors.

The quarter had some heated moments. VanVleet was whistled for a foul, after which a technical for angrily arguing the decision after Embiid fell out of bounds as if blown over by a gust of wind.

Inexperienced picked up a technical for arguing a name, and it took a few two-handed chest shoves from Harden to get Inexperienced to go towards Philadelphia’s bench.

Recreation 5, if vital, can be performed Monday in Philadelphia.

This report by The Canadian Press was first printed April 20, 2022.