Yeah, Harden make a couple 3's to keep 'em honest, couple of drives, and otherwise just setup Maxey, Harris, Embiid & the rest. Tobias really had a nice game - shame they were chanting for Tyrese while he was shooting FT's.
Spectrum 10/27/09; New Orleans JazzFest 5/1/10; Made in America 9/2/12; WF Center 10/21/13; WF Center 10/22/13; Baltimore 10/27/13; WF Center 4/28/16; WF Center 4/29/16; Fenway Park 8/7/16; Fenway Park 9/2/18; Asbury Park 9/18/21; Camden 9/14/22; Las Vegas 5/16/24; Las Vegas 5/18/24; WF Center 9/7/24; WF Center 9/9/24; Baltimore Arena 9/12/24
Tres Mtns - TLA 3/23/11; EV - Tower Theatre 6/25/11; Temple of the Dog - Tower Theatre 11/5/16
Harden can be a realistic version of himself and this team will be fine, albeit yes Maxey or Harris can step up. Especially Maxey, let this be his phoenix rising out of arizona. Harden's already a net-positive over having an absent malcontent hanging on the roster.
If Embiid isn't the best player on the court for them every game that is a great thing. Speaking of which - you see the way Jokic played in that game? Talk about the perfect pad-the-stats player.
I got nervous as soon as the lead got into the 20s but nicely done holding on - didn't really let them get all that close. Matisse barely saw the court (he didn't think this through huh?) - let's get the next 2!
Spectrum 10/27/09; New Orleans JazzFest 5/1/10; Made in America 9/2/12; WF Center 10/21/13; WF Center 10/22/13; Baltimore 10/27/13; WF Center 4/28/16; WF Center 4/29/16; Fenway Park 8/7/16; Fenway Park 9/2/18; Asbury Park 9/18/21; Camden 9/14/22; Las Vegas 5/16/24; Las Vegas 5/18/24; WF Center 9/7/24; WF Center 9/9/24; Baltimore Arena 9/12/24
Tres Mtns - TLA 3/23/11; EV - Tower Theatre 6/25/11; Temple of the Dog - Tower Theatre 11/5/16
Yeah I gotta give credit to Doc for starting Danny and basically acclimating now for not playing with Thybulle. I feel less pessimistic. But nonetheless gotta grab at least one up there and then finish it off back here.
Second game in a row they matched the Raptors intensity, did well on the glass, and treaded water in the non Embiid minutes.
I feel like this has been the best they've looked after a couple games in the playoffs during the Process era.
I know - they have generally blown one of those first two home games. Embiid's late1st quarter was amazing - he was just willing the team back into the game.
Spectrum 10/27/09; New Orleans JazzFest 5/1/10; Made in America 9/2/12; WF Center 10/21/13; WF Center 10/22/13; Baltimore 10/27/13; WF Center 4/28/16; WF Center 4/29/16; Fenway Park 8/7/16; Fenway Park 9/2/18; Asbury Park 9/18/21; Camden 9/14/22; Las Vegas 5/16/24; Las Vegas 5/18/24; WF Center 9/7/24; WF Center 9/9/24; Baltimore Arena 9/12/24
Tres Mtns - TLA 3/23/11; EV - Tower Theatre 6/25/11; Temple of the Dog - Tower Theatre 11/5/16
I enjoyed the bullshit tweets in the Raps fans universe where if there were no fouls Toronto would have won 87-86. Because, ya know, there's no fouls ever in a game.
I enjoyed the bullshit tweets in the Raps fans universe where if there were no fouls Toronto would have won 87-86. Because, ya know, there's no fouls ever in a game.
I know Nurse is just trying to play the game to get some calls but shut the fuck up dude. Is it really shocking the probable MVP is getting foul calls? He is coming across as a whiny little bitch at this point.
I enjoyed the bullshit tweets in the Raps fans universe where if there were no fouls Toronto would have won 87-86. Because, ya know, there's no fouls ever in a game.
I know Nurse is just trying to play the game to get some calls but shut the fuck up dude. Is it really shocking the probable MVP is getting foul calls? He is coming across as a whiny little bitch at this point.
Nurse was complaining about Jokic getting fouls calls?
Jokic could get fouled every time and they would still lose to Golden State.
Spectrum 10/27/09; New Orleans JazzFest 5/1/10; Made in America 9/2/12; WF Center 10/21/13; WF Center 10/22/13; Baltimore 10/27/13; WF Center 4/28/16; WF Center 4/29/16; Fenway Park 8/7/16; Fenway Park 9/2/18; Asbury Park 9/18/21; Camden 9/14/22; Las Vegas 5/16/24; Las Vegas 5/18/24; WF Center 9/7/24; WF Center 9/9/24; Baltimore Arena 9/12/24
Tres Mtns - TLA 3/23/11; EV - Tower Theatre 6/25/11; Temple of the Dog - Tower Theatre 11/5/16
I'm aware. Just pointing out what the, likely, back to back "mvp" is doing in the playoffs....after his team went just 20-26 against teams with a winning record this year.
This is killing me. He's the best player on your team, we wait till the absolute last second to put it in his hands and it's out on the perimeter. I don't get it.
This is killing me. He's the best player on your team, we wait till the absolute last second to put it in his hands and it's out on the perimeter. I don't get it.
Yeah, I didn't get that last possession in Regulation either.
Just had to come here. That was a JOEL F***ING EMBIID PLAYOFF BUZZER BEATER. You know who you are!!!
Spectrum 10/27/09; New Orleans JazzFest 5/1/10; Made in America 9/2/12; WF Center 10/21/13; WF Center 10/22/13; Baltimore 10/27/13; WF Center 4/28/16; WF Center 4/29/16; Fenway Park 8/7/16; Fenway Park 9/2/18; Asbury Park 9/18/21; Camden 9/14/22; Las Vegas 5/16/24; Las Vegas 5/18/24; WF Center 9/7/24; WF Center 9/9/24; Baltimore Arena 9/12/24
Tres Mtns - TLA 3/23/11; EV - Tower Theatre 6/25/11; Temple of the Dog - Tower Theatre 11/5/16
Doc really did a fine job - gotta give him credit. Yeah prior to that play their end of game possessions weren't so hot. Great win - they did so many things wrong and still got it done.
Spectrum 10/27/09; New Orleans JazzFest 5/1/10; Made in America 9/2/12; WF Center 10/21/13; WF Center 10/22/13; Baltimore 10/27/13; WF Center 4/28/16; WF Center 4/29/16; Fenway Park 8/7/16; Fenway Park 9/2/18; Asbury Park 9/18/21; Camden 9/14/22; Las Vegas 5/16/24; Las Vegas 5/18/24; WF Center 9/7/24; WF Center 9/9/24; Baltimore Arena 9/12/24
Tres Mtns - TLA 3/23/11; EV - Tower Theatre 6/25/11; Temple of the Dog - Tower Theatre 11/5/16
Yeah here to just say Doc has played this series well. That timeout was huge.
Yeah. And I was screaming at him to call a timeout right when they got possession instead of waiting till 1 second left but.....what the hell do I know?! Great move Doc!
The more time that goes by, the details of a playoff game, playoff series and even a lengthy playoff run get swept away, replaced by flashbulb memories of specific events that become imprinted in the collective memory of the basketball viewing public.
Despite the fact that Joel Embiid has developed into one of the league's premier two-way forces, and a consensus top-5 player in the world, his career has lacked these defining postseason moments. Instead, Embiid was there to witness events from others on the court, whether that be Kawhi Leonard's shot or Ben Simmons' pass, both of which he was on the losing end of. That's not to say that Embiid was merely a bystander, as his own struggles played a role in the Sixers dropping both of those two series, but it sort of goes back to the original point that we remember signature moments far more than the details which led up to them.
There was a lot to unpack in last night's 104-101 Sixers win, which gave them a 3-0 series lead and pushed Toronto to the brink of elimination. From the Sixers' first-half struggles to Embiid's monster second half, filled with some of the most impressive shot-making of his career; from Tobias Harris' lock-down defense to the pair of potential game-winning miscues. But when we think back to this series in five years few will remember any of that. They were just events that got us to the defining moment of the series, and the first shot heard around the world of Joel Embiid's playoff legacy.
It is, of course, just the first round of the playoffs, with the Sixers the higher-ranked team, and a shot that came in a non-elimination game at that. Legacies aren't built on first-round swishes, unless it's followed by more, even higher profile moments that lead to legitimate championship contention. If the Sixers flame out in the second round, Embiid's shot will become an occasionally referenced footnote to another imperfect team.
But all legacies have to start somewhere, and Joel Embiid's turnaround three that found the bottom of the net with less than a second remaining in overtime is as good of a place as any.
Embiid's shot was, admittedly, ridiculous: a turnaround three, with the clock running down and under duress, in hostile territory that was a house of horrors for Embiid earlier in his career, and yet Embiid made it look easy and effortless. 7-foot-2 big men aren't supposed to have that combination of touch, footwork, skill level and composure, or at least that's what we were conditioned to believe in bygone eras.
What was just as impressive was everything that led up to that moment, the pivotal moments of the game that put Embiid in position to even take the shot in the first place.
Embiid had just five points on five shots, with four turnovers, at intermission. The Raptors, sparked by the intensity of their home crowd, for the first time this series looked like the pesky team that could frustrate Embiid. It was the kind of game, and environment, that seemed tailor-made for Toronto to steal. And while, even if the Raptors did come away victorious in Game 3, I would question whether they could keep up that energy consistently enough to win four times in this series, they could at least claw back from their 2-0 hole and put a little scare in the Sixers.
Then Joel Embiid responded in a way he hasn't always in the past, putting the Sixers on his back with an impressive array of shot-making and defensive dominance as the Sixers slowly clawed their way back from the 17-point second quarter deficit. He wasn't alone – Tobias Harris' defense deserves a huge shout-out, as does Tyrese Maxey's energy, James Harden's floor game and even Georges Niang's perimeter shooting – but this was clearly Embiid's game. This was MVP type shit.
The way the Sixers have been able to claw out wins in different ways, responding to what's needed in each of the three games so far, has been impressive, and important when projecting forward to future matchups. They beat the Raptors when Toronto was making all of their perimeter shots, and they found a way to claw out a win even when Toronto's defense finally forced the turnovers they need to thrive. The Sixers have displayed an impressive amount of resiliency in this first-round series against the Raptors, and Embiid's dominance and versatility has been front and center to all of it.
The attention Embiid will receive from The Shot was, in many respects, the reward for everything he did to put them in that position in the first place.
($) Keith Pompey, Philadelphia Inquirer: "Every NBA star has demons to overcome. Joel Embiid finally got his. The MVP candidate buried a turnaround three-pointer with 0.8 seconds to play to lift the 76ers to 104-101 overtime victory in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series against the Toronto Raptors."
Kyle Neubeck, PhillyVoice: "Philadelphia's worst offensive possessions late in the game were when Embiid and his teammates didn't abide by that approach. Harden fouling out of the game on a controversial whistle in the final 30 seconds robbed them of one of their best decision-makers. That was apparent, Rivers said after the game, in the attacking windows missed by the players left on the floor, Maxey included, despite Maxey being one of the only guys who had anything left by the time the overtime session started."
($) Rich Hofmann, The Athletic: "The Sixers are a team that takes its lead from the best player, so it’s no surprise that they struggled mightily as a unit when Embiid was playing that poorly. Because of 14 turnovers, they had 11 fewer shots than Toronto at the break. The possession game that they had been winning in Philadelphia flipped completely in the other direction. And yet, thanks to some timely zone defense, a strong James Harden performance and an 8-of-16 effort from beyond the arc, they trailed by only 10 at halftime."\
Noah Levick, NBC Sports Philadelphia: "Sometimes you’ve got to pause for a bit to identify who Embiid just looked like, or to pinpoint what specific skill he stole through his summer work with trainer Drew Hanlen. In this category: Reggie Miller catching the ball beyond the arc, on the move, then draining a clutch jumper and taking a spinning, elated leap or two as the enormity of his shot — and the fact that tenths of a second remained on the clock — sunk in. (Unlike Miller, Embiid didn’t need any maneuvers of questionable legality, like the Pacers guard's push on Michael Jordan, to find open space.)"
Austin Krell, TPL: "o Doc Rivers’ credit, he sensed his team taking on water in the second quarter, when they were down 17 points, and adjusted appropriately. The Raptors got whatever they wanted against Philadelphia’s man-to-man scheme. So, Rivers switched it up and went to a 2-3 zone. He bet against Toronto burning the Sixers from beyond the arc. Instead of the Raptors burying the Sixers with triples in that stretch, Toronto’s offense slowed down and Philadelphia was able to punch its way back into the game."
Sixers Adam, RTRS: "The reason the Sixers came back despite sloppy play is that they were absolutely locked in on defense. Whether it was Embiid at the rim and on switches, Tobias Harris defending Pascal Siakam excellently, or the team’s defensive rebounding in the fourth quarter, this was why the Sixers won the game. It’s hard to quantify a defensive performance like this in a box score – though Siakam’s 6-16 and Fred VanVleet’s 3-13 shooting lines do give you a glimpse. But it was obvious when it comes to our collective eye test: the Sixers’ defense won them this game."
Comments
WF Center 4/28/16; WF Center 4/29/16; Fenway Park 8/7/16; Fenway Park 9/2/18; Asbury Park 9/18/21; Camden 9/14/22;
Las Vegas 5/16/24; Las Vegas 5/18/24; WF Center 9/7/24; WF Center 9/9/24; Baltimore Arena 9/12/24
Tres Mtns - TLA 3/23/11; EV - Tower Theatre 6/25/11; Temple of the Dog - Tower Theatre 11/5/16
If Embiid isn't the best player on the court for them every game that is a great thing. Speaking of which - you see the way Jokic played in that game? Talk about the perfect pad-the-stats player.
2. They're trying to murder Embiid.
WF Center 4/28/16; WF Center 4/29/16; Fenway Park 8/7/16; Fenway Park 9/2/18; Asbury Park 9/18/21; Camden 9/14/22;
Las Vegas 5/16/24; Las Vegas 5/18/24; WF Center 9/7/24; WF Center 9/9/24; Baltimore Arena 9/12/24
Tres Mtns - TLA 3/23/11; EV - Tower Theatre 6/25/11; Temple of the Dog - Tower Theatre 11/5/16
I feel like this has been the best they've looked after a couple games in the playoffs during the Process era.
WF Center 4/28/16; WF Center 4/29/16; Fenway Park 8/7/16; Fenway Park 9/2/18; Asbury Park 9/18/21; Camden 9/14/22;
Las Vegas 5/16/24; Las Vegas 5/18/24; WF Center 9/7/24; WF Center 9/9/24; Baltimore Arena 9/12/24
Tres Mtns - TLA 3/23/11; EV - Tower Theatre 6/25/11; Temple of the Dog - Tower Theatre 11/5/16
WF Center 4/28/16; WF Center 4/29/16; Fenway Park 8/7/16; Fenway Park 9/2/18; Asbury Park 9/18/21; Camden 9/14/22;
Las Vegas 5/16/24; Las Vegas 5/18/24; WF Center 9/7/24; WF Center 9/9/24; Baltimore Arena 9/12/24
Tres Mtns - TLA 3/23/11; EV - Tower Theatre 6/25/11; Temple of the Dog - Tower Theatre 11/5/16
Did NOT play well and still won !!
WF Center 4/28/16; WF Center 4/29/16; Fenway Park 8/7/16; Fenway Park 9/2/18; Asbury Park 9/18/21; Camden 9/14/22;
Las Vegas 5/16/24; Las Vegas 5/18/24; WF Center 9/7/24; WF Center 9/9/24; Baltimore Arena 9/12/24
Tres Mtns - TLA 3/23/11; EV - Tower Theatre 6/25/11; Temple of the Dog - Tower Theatre 11/5/16
great shot though.
WF Center 4/28/16; WF Center 4/29/16; Fenway Park 8/7/16; Fenway Park 9/2/18; Asbury Park 9/18/21; Camden 9/14/22;
Las Vegas 5/16/24; Las Vegas 5/18/24; WF Center 9/7/24; WF Center 9/9/24; Baltimore Arena 9/12/24
Tres Mtns - TLA 3/23/11; EV - Tower Theatre 6/25/11; Temple of the Dog - Tower Theatre 11/5/16
The Process.
TRUST IT, MOTHERFUCKERS.
The more time that goes by, the details of a playoff game, playoff series and even a lengthy playoff run get swept away, replaced by flashbulb memories of specific events that become imprinted in the collective memory of the basketball viewing public.
Despite the fact that Joel Embiid has developed into one of the league's premier two-way forces, and a consensus top-5 player in the world, his career has lacked these defining postseason moments. Instead, Embiid was there to witness events from others on the court, whether that be Kawhi Leonard's shot or Ben Simmons' pass, both of which he was on the losing end of. That's not to say that Embiid was merely a bystander, as his own struggles played a role in the Sixers dropping both of those two series, but it sort of goes back to the original point that we remember signature moments far more than the details which led up to them.
There was a lot to unpack in last night's 104-101 Sixers win, which gave them a 3-0 series lead and pushed Toronto to the brink of elimination. From the Sixers' first-half struggles to Embiid's monster second half, filled with some of the most impressive shot-making of his career; from Tobias Harris' lock-down defense to the pair of potential game-winning miscues. But when we think back to this series in five years few will remember any of that. They were just events that got us to the defining moment of the series, and the first shot heard around the world of Joel Embiid's playoff legacy.
It is, of course, just the first round of the playoffs, with the Sixers the higher-ranked team, and a shot that came in a non-elimination game at that. Legacies aren't built on first-round swishes, unless it's followed by more, even higher profile moments that lead to legitimate championship contention. If the Sixers flame out in the second round, Embiid's shot will become an occasionally referenced footnote to another imperfect team.
But all legacies have to start somewhere, and Joel Embiid's turnaround three that found the bottom of the net with less than a second remaining in overtime is as good of a place as any.
Embiid's shot was, admittedly, ridiculous: a turnaround three, with the clock running down and under duress, in hostile territory that was a house of horrors for Embiid earlier in his career, and yet Embiid made it look easy and effortless. 7-foot-2 big men aren't supposed to have that combination of touch, footwork, skill level and composure, or at least that's what we were conditioned to believe in bygone eras.
What was just as impressive was everything that led up to that moment, the pivotal moments of the game that put Embiid in position to even take the shot in the first place.
Embiid had just five points on five shots, with four turnovers, at intermission. The Raptors, sparked by the intensity of their home crowd, for the first time this series looked like the pesky team that could frustrate Embiid. It was the kind of game, and environment, that seemed tailor-made for Toronto to steal. And while, even if the Raptors did come away victorious in Game 3, I would question whether they could keep up that energy consistently enough to win four times in this series, they could at least claw back from their 2-0 hole and put a little scare in the Sixers.
Then Joel Embiid responded in a way he hasn't always in the past, putting the Sixers on his back with an impressive array of shot-making and defensive dominance as the Sixers slowly clawed their way back from the 17-point second quarter deficit. He wasn't alone – Tobias Harris' defense deserves a huge shout-out, as does Tyrese Maxey's energy, James Harden's floor game and even Georges Niang's perimeter shooting – but this was clearly Embiid's game. This was MVP type shit.
The way the Sixers have been able to claw out wins in different ways, responding to what's needed in each of the three games so far, has been impressive, and important when projecting forward to future matchups. They beat the Raptors when Toronto was making all of their perimeter shots, and they found a way to claw out a win even when Toronto's defense finally forced the turnovers they need to thrive. The Sixers have displayed an impressive amount of resiliency in this first-round series against the Raptors, and Embiid's dominance and versatility has been front and center to all of it.
The attention Embiid will receive from The Shot was, in many respects, the reward for everything he did to put them in that position in the first place.
Box score
($) Keith Pompey, Philadelphia Inquirer: "Every NBA star has demons to overcome. Joel Embiid finally got his. The MVP candidate buried a turnaround three-pointer with 0.8 seconds to play to lift the 76ers to 104-101 overtime victory in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series against the Toronto Raptors."
Kyle Neubeck, PhillyVoice: "Philadelphia's worst offensive possessions late in the game were when Embiid and his teammates didn't abide by that approach. Harden fouling out of the game on a controversial whistle in the final 30 seconds robbed them of one of their best decision-makers. That was apparent, Rivers said after the game, in the attacking windows missed by the players left on the floor, Maxey included, despite Maxey being one of the only guys who had anything left by the time the overtime session started."
($) Rich Hofmann, The Athletic: "The Sixers are a team that takes its lead from the best player, so it’s no surprise that they struggled mightily as a unit when Embiid was playing that poorly. Because of 14 turnovers, they had 11 fewer shots than Toronto at the break. The possession game that they had been winning in Philadelphia flipped completely in the other direction. And yet, thanks to some timely zone defense, a strong James Harden performance and an 8-of-16 effort from beyond the arc, they trailed by only 10 at halftime."\
Noah Levick, NBC Sports Philadelphia: "Sometimes you’ve got to pause for a bit to identify who Embiid just looked like, or to pinpoint what specific skill he stole through his summer work with trainer Drew Hanlen. In this category: Reggie Miller catching the ball beyond the arc, on the move, then draining a clutch jumper and taking a spinning, elated leap or two as the enormity of his shot — and the fact that tenths of a second remained on the clock — sunk in. (Unlike Miller, Embiid didn’t need any maneuvers of questionable legality, like the Pacers guard's push on Michael Jordan, to find open space.)"
Austin Krell, TPL: "o Doc Rivers’ credit, he sensed his team taking on water in the second quarter, when they were down 17 points, and adjusted appropriately. The Raptors got whatever they wanted against Philadelphia’s man-to-man scheme. So, Rivers switched it up and went to a 2-3 zone. He bet against Toronto burning the Sixers from beyond the arc. Instead of the Raptors burying the Sixers with triples in that stretch, Toronto’s offense slowed down and Philadelphia was able to punch its way back into the game."
Sixers Adam, RTRS: "The reason the Sixers came back despite sloppy play is that they were absolutely locked in on defense. Whether it was Embiid at the rim and on switches, Tobias Harris defending Pascal Siakam excellently, or the team’s defensive rebounding in the fourth quarter, this was why the Sixers won the game. It’s hard to quantify a defensive performance like this in a box score – though Siakam’s 6-16 and Fred VanVleet’s 3-13 shooting lines do give you a glimpse. But it was obvious when it comes to our collective eye test: the Sixers’ defense won them this game."