As the 76ers’ second round series moved to Philadelphia, Joel Embiid and his crotch-cutting ways returned to lineup for Game 3. The Sixers took down Heat 99-79 in defensive play, bringing the series to 2-1 in Miami.
Danny Green heated up from deep, giving the Sixers the highest 21 points. After a slow start, Tyrese Maxie took a late 21-point lead with 88.3 percent real shooting, along with six assists. James Harden gave a hot start, scoring 17 points along with eight rebounds and six assists, and Embid will finish with 18 points, 11 rebounds, a block and steal, while overall dominating the defense. Here are some immediate conclusions from game 3.
The first half
- It was no surprise to see that the Sixers look much more energetic from the start of this game than in the previous two games. Wheel defense was night and day compared to the previous two games, the Sixers held the Miami to just 17 points in the first quarter and 34 points in the first half.
- The attack was far from perfect at first. It certainly took him a while to get back on track after a week without any basketball practice, but they still managed to keep up the pressure on Heat’s defense as they reached the basket. Despite fears about his preparation before the match, Embiid’s first shift was about 10 minutes, which would be normal when he is completely healthy.
A wonderful transition from the Sixers here.
Starting with a pass from the back of Embiid, ending with Harden drive. pic.twitter.com/Ew5XNU8KRP
– Tom West (@TomWestNBA) May 6, 2022
- Seven turns in the first quarter, including four (five if the first quarter of the second quarter counts) right at the end of the quarter, allowed Miami to reduce the lead to four, although Philly did beat Heath over most of the starting frame. Sixers also continued to be killed on the offensive glass.
- As there were some legitimate concerns, the minutes of the reserve center returned entirely to Paul Reed with the availability of Embiid. While the stretch with Harden and Embiid on both benches was disastrous, the 9-0 series, when Harden was back in the game, put the Sixers back in the driver’s seat.
- It was only a matter of time before the Sixers saw a positive regression in shooting in this series. Danny Green’s first half was a big rebound from his performance in Game 2, with the score being 3-4 beyond the arc in the first half. Green would have a hot hand all night, finishing with 21 points in a 7-9 shot and leading the team in the result!
- Sixers’ offense ended with Harden on the bench, and this was especially evident when The Beard had to stand in the last two minutes of the half in foul trouble. This problem continued to bother the Sixers when Harden scored his fourth foul early in the third.
The second half
- After a hot start at halftime, in which the lead jumped to 12, Philly’s attack became really careless. They struggled to take care of basketball with all the traps Miami sent them, especially Harden on the bench. Jimmy Butler really became an inconvenience in the third, 12 of his top 33 in the game came in the period.
- It started as a weekend night for Tyris Maxi, but his five-point jump at the end of the third quarter may have just saved the game. His three stopped a 20-6 Heat series that woke both the Sixers and the audience.
- The Sixers went to Bball Paul a little later than usual in the second half, leaving Embiid to start the fourth quarter. This adjustment worked well for Philly, as they managed to regain the lead to seven during this section and Embiid would check again with an 11-point lead.
- If his third-quarter strike saved the game, a fourth-quarter series eliminated him. Maxey didn’t score from the field until there were less than three minutes left in the third, but after he did, he made sure to leave a shot. His game of coming down and almost jumping out of bounds was insane.
- At the end of the game, Embiid received a pretty good involuntary blow to the head from Bam Adebayo. He would stay in the game to complete his free throws and hopefully nothing serious came of it.
Sixers get the most important victory. A 3-0 fall would be a death sentence. Now, if they win game 4, everything is complicated.
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