He did it like a grown-up. Or rather like a “little one”, with ease, lightning speed, magnificent dexterity. With only two seconds and six tenths left to play in this third game of the series against the Toronto Raptors, which had stretched into overtime, the Cameroonian pivot of 2.13 m from the Philadephia Sixers, served on put back into play by Danny Green, turned quickly, armed without forcing and planted the award-winning assassin who now sends “Phila” to a qualifying success (3-0) and Toronto in the depths of disarray (101- 104, ap).
This is not a first, the All-Star pivot, who is running 37% from 3 points in the regular season this year, has already made a few decisive shots from behind the arc in his career. But this one is likely to count more than the others again and especially to hurt Canadian heads a lot. “It’s probably the most important shoot of my career, but the work is not finished”he commented on the field at the exit.
As in match 2, where he had already enjoyed (31 points, 11 rebounds), the Sixers pivot once again shone, in similar standards (33 pts, 13 rebounds), before being eminently decisive, well supported by Tyrese Maxey (19 pts), full of composure in overtime, while James Harden (19 pts, 10 assists) was benched for six fouls. And yet, Embiid could have been frustrated when he was charged with an unclear foul after a counter on OG Anunoby 26 seconds from the end. The British winger returned a free throw out of two and put the two teams back to back (101-101). But Embiid swallowed his rage of the moment, to “plant” this winning shot and bring Philadelphia very close to the in-goal now.
However, all was not quiet for the Sixers, who had hitherto wandered in the series. Led by seventeen points at the start of the second quarter by the Raptors, much more defensively aggressive than in the two previous duels, “Phila” wasted a good number of balls (15 ball losses in the first half). Opposite, Toronto, which had seemed dull in game 2, had rejuvenated and posed again a built and altruistic basketball, with Fred VanVleet, clumsy (3/13 in shots) but better with the stick (9 assists, 0 lost ball), a bloodier Gary Trent Jr. (24 pts), a still nickel OG Anunoby (26 pts) and the ultra-precious bench exit of Precious Achiuwa (20 pts at 9 of 11 on shots, 6 rebounds).
If Phila regained some control in the second half and increased their defensive intensity to pick up again, Doc Rivers’ troops were not going to lead a single second of all regulation time, snatching the extension on a free throw from James Harden 50 seconds from the regular term. The rest, this shot that fell from the sky, belonged to a giant, Joel Embiid.
