The 76ers led the Raptors 3-0, got the match points to advance to the second round, and almost stepped into the door of the Eastern Conference semifinals with one foot, but they were still one foot away from the real promotion. So, how important the next G4 is is, it goes without saying. Especially for a coach like Lao Li, who has been reversed 3-1 many times, this game is even more special.
Even Raptors coach Nas said half-sarcastically in the interview: "0-3 is something we've never encountered before, and I think it's a huge challenge, but there's always someone who can do it." It's 0-3 now, but if the score becomes 1-3, there's a team that has done the final turnaround. ”
It's true that as long as it's not 0-4, there's a chance to turn the tables, especially if they're facing Rivers Sr. And the Raptors' toughness, and home games, the chances of pulling out 1-3 are great. Therefore, the challenge for the 76ers in the fourth game will be very big, and they will face an opponent who has no way to retreat and fights backwater. Compared with the battle to face the Raptors, the injury of the 76ers star Embiid may be the most worrying for the team.
In the third game, Embiid was suspected of suffering a wrist injury, but he did not retreat, but continued to fight with the injury, and led the team to finally win the game with difficulty.
According to The Famous Woj, the 76ers will be sprained with the right thumb of Embiid, listed as g4 can play.
Shams wrote that there were concerns that Embiid had been injured by a torn ligament in the thumb of his right hand, but there was news that Embiid himself vowed to bring the injury into battle. Embiid will rely on his pain-bearing capacity and the 76ers' medical staff.
As can be seen from Shams' report, embiid probably suffered not a simple wrist sprain, but a ligament injury to the thumb, but in such a crucial game, Embiid did not want to be absent due to injury.
Although Embiid can play with injuries, it is clear that this also lays hidden dangers for their next playoff trip. If he suffers a ligament injury, it is likely that he will continue to aggravate the injury, especially if his host is the right hand, more or less, it will affect his shooting target. If Embiid ends up missing some of the games that follow because of his injury, the 76ers' prospects for a championship will become even dimmer. So at this time, it is time for Harden to step forward and share more of embiid's pressure on the offensive end.
In the past three games, Harden has not played the offensive performance in the playoffs in the past, and looks a bit mediocre in scoring. But everyone who watches the game knows that Harden has actually put his mentality and position right, no longer regards himself as the team's top scorer, and even he has regarded himself as the third scorer after Embiid and Maxi, completely focusing on organization and defense.
From the perspective of these games, when Harden focuses on organization and defense, the help to the team is also very great. But now, Embiid is facing the risk of injury, and whether the next G4 can continue the performance of the past few games is still unknown, so Harden needs to stand up in the back games, share more of embiid's pressure on the offensive end, and win more rest time for Embiid and reduce the burden.
If they can solve the opponent in G4, then the 76ers will also get more rest time, and Embiid can also recuperate from the injury, alleviate the right thumb injury and prepare more fully for the second round.