PHILADELPHIA – Joel Embiid demonstrated Wednesday evening that as long as he is on the Philadelphia 76ers roster, they will have a chance to go far in the NBA playoffs.
Embiid had 23 points, 15 rebounds and a crucial assist on Kelly Oubre Jr.’s game-winning three-pointer as the Sixers beat the Miami Heat 105-104 in a playoff game in the ‘East.
The 76ers have taken 7th place in their conference, and we will see them face the New York Knicks (2nd) in the first round of the playoffs, starting Saturday, at Madison Square Garden.
The Heat – who had already advanced from the qualifying tournament to the NBA finals a year ago – have not lost all hope: they can still defeat the Chicago Bulls (No. 9), who disposed of the Hawks Atlanta (No. 10) by a score of 131 to 116 a few hours later.
Miami could have suffered a big blow as their star player Jimmy Butler reportedly suffered a ligament injury in his right knee. His presence for Friday’s match is more than uncertain and he could be sidelined for an indefinite period. Upon leaving the Wells Fargo Center, Butler was seen moving with great difficulty.
Coby White propelled the Bulls to this success with a 42-point performance.
By winning at home against Chicago on Friday, Miami would earn a place as the 8th team in the East. One of these two teams will face the powerful Boston Celtics in the first round.
After three relatively quiet quarters, Embiid exploded in the last, helping Philadelphia overcome a 14-point deficit.
The Cameroonian pivot has missed 43 games this season, and he has seen his teammates Nicolas Batum and Buddy Hield set the tone for the comeback.
But when the 76ers needed successful shots to steal the victory from the Heat, it was to Embiid that they turned, and the latter delivered the goods.
Embiid made a three-pointer to give his team the lead with 2:33 left in the game. After the 76ers blew that lead, Embiid once again made a move on a three-point play.
With the two teams tied at 96-96, Embiid left the ball to Oubre for a successful shot under the basket and then a free throw that gave the home favorites a 99-96 lead.
Tyler Herro finished the game with 25 points for the Heat, while Butler scored 19.
2024-04-18 02:03:00
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