On April 24, Beijing time, the NBA playoffs continued in full swing. The Philadelphia 76ers, who currently have a 3-0 lead in the first round of the series, also continue to usher in the G4 matchup that challenges the Raptors on the road. The Philadelphia 76ers, who have already won the series, are just one game away from advancing to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Moreover, according to statistical analysis, in the history of the NBA, there has never been a team that is 0-3 behind and has achieved the feat of final reversal. In other words, the Philadelphia 76ers' promotion to the Eastern Conference semifinals is almost a foregone conclusion.
Therefore, if the current Raptors still think about advancing, it is simply a fool's dream. Rather than qualifying, they need to consider how to end the season early. Embiid suffered an injury with a torn ligament in his right thumb in the G3 battle, which is something that head coach Rivers must consider. So, what kind of sparks will burst out of this competition between the two sides? Let's wait and see. At the beginning of the game, the two sides began a fierce competition, and time was constantly consumed in the situation of alternate scores.
Embiid was in poor shape in the first quarter, sending out a poor shooting percentage of 0 of 5, and Harden's 5-of-2 performance was also not good. However, even though Siakam was able to deliver 10 points and 3 rebounds, it did not help the team build a score lead. The two of them drew 24-24 and came to the same running line. The Raptors, who entered the second quarter of the showdown and maintained a stable data output, began to threaten. Trent Jr. sent a crucial 12-pointer on 2-of-2 three-point shooting, 4-of-6 shooting, and 2-of-2 free throws.
At the same time, Thaddeus Young, who came off the bench, also handed over a comprehensive statistic of 4 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 1 block. With the continuous efforts of the players on the team, the Raptors took advantage of the score of 30-25 and took a 5-point lead. The Philadelphia 76ers, who were in a backward state, could also counterattack in time. In the third quarter, Embiid played 12 minutes of playing time, sending just back 8 points and 2 assists to help the team play 28-26 and recover the 2 points behind in the first half. By the time it reached the crucial final showdown, the contrast between the two sides had been reduced to three points.
Judging from this situation, the Philadelphia 76ers clearly have a chance to achieve a final comeback. But unfortunately, the Raptors did not give them a chance to continue to chase points. That's right, Siakam won 11 free throws in the final quarter, delivered 15 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists, and led the team to a 30-25 score! In the end, the regular time of the fourth quarter was completed, and the Raptors won the game with a score of 110-102. The Raptors refused to be swept out 4-0, making the series 3-1 and already rid of the haze of consecutive losses.
In nearly 44 minutes of playing, Siakam delivered a game-high score of 34 points, as well as 8 rebounds and 5 assists. VanVleet left the game early due to injury, handing over only 5 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists. But Trent Jr. has 24 points and 3 rebounds, and he is still relatively good. However, no one would have thought that the Raptors would not only rely on the explosive data of the players on the team in the process of winning, but also on the huge advantage gained on the free throw end.
That's right, the Philadelphia 76ers were blown 26 fouls in this game, giving the Raptors a cumulative 35 free throws. The Philadelphia 76ers, who used to be in the only bracket on the free throw end, only had 25 free throw opportunities in a single game, which was still slightly chicken in comparison. Embiid is not satisfied with the 21+8+3 data, but he can only have bitter words, and he cannot openly vent his anger to the referee who is in charge of this game. However, in response to the team's loss, Harden took the initiative to take responsibility at the first time after the game: the performance of 5 of 17 shots in a single game was really bad, and the loss of this game was not about anyone, but about ourselves.