On April 21, Beijing time, Rivers pulled the team to Toronto, and challenged the Toronto Raptors located there. In the first two games of this series, the Philadelphia 76ers suppressed the Raptors without suspense, taking the absolute initiative with a 2-0 score. They are only two games away from reaching the Eastern Conference semifinals. However, I thought that this time to the Home of the Raptors, the Raptors would pull back a city, but no one would have thought that Embiid could actually complete a three-point accurate kill in the last 1 second of overtime, with a 104-101 score, to achieve overtime reversal.
Looking back at the game, the Philadelphia 76ers didn't do well in the first half. Embiid played 12 minutes of the game in the first quarter, only 1 of 4 shots, and sent 3 points and 4 rebounds, giving the Raptors a 29-19 score and a double-digit lead. Entering the second quarter showdown, Embiid's form was still sluggish, with only 2 points of scoring contribution, which once allowed the opponent to widen the point difference to 17 points. However, Harden and Maxi stepped forward, sending 8 points, 4 assists and 10 points in succession, rejecting the Raptors' ability to widen the point difference again.
With just five points and four rebounds in the first half, Embiid seemed to have lost the value of a team leader. However, in the first moment after Yibian's re-fight, he proved his MVP strong contender defeat: played the third quarter for 12 minutes of playing time, shooting 6 of 9, shooting 5 of 7, and delivering 18 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist! With this explosive statistic, the Philadelphia 76ers scored 28-19 in a single quarter and recovered the nine points they trailed in the first half. The point differential has been further narrowed and the situation is no longer clear.
It was said that Rivers did not have the ability to lead the team to reverse, but in the crucial final quarter of the competition, he still directed the team to play a 21-20 score, forcing the game into overtime. And, in the first quarter of overtime, Embiid continued to play his role, constantly completing jump shots, and even in the team's final offense, under the command of Rivers, completed a three-point shootout! I have to admit that Embiid was able to complete a three-point kill at the top of the arc, and Rivers's suspension was too critical and became the last straw that crushed the Raptors.
With only 5 points contributing in the first half, but with 33 points, 13 rebounds and 2 assists, Embiid completed his self-redemption. In the process of getting lost, he also helped Rivers get rid of the label of the King of Reversals. After winning the game, the Philadelphia 76ers also became the first team in the league to win a series match point. According to past historical data analysis, the NBA has accumulated 144 series 3-0 leads in history, all of which ended in promotion.
In the next game, the Raptors will face a life-and-death battle, while Philadelphia has ushered in a key qualifying game, and what kind of sparks will burst out between the two sides is indeed worth looking forward to. According to Rivers, he tore off the label, but was very modest in the post-match interview, saying bluntly that it was a great game, but our performance was not very good. Yes, they sent 22 turnovers in a single game, compared to the Raptors' 10 mistakes in a single game, it is still very chicken. If the Philadelphia 76ers want to end the series early, they have to play better in the next game.