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The 76ers defeated the Wizards 3-0, led by Joel Embiid
The No. 1 seed Philadelphia 76ers and MVP candidate Joel Embiid are undefeated. They are on a mission to sweep the Washington Wizards in a series. Joel Embiid was on fire against the Wizards, setting a playoff career-high in 28 minutes and leading the 76ers to victory.
The 76ers gained their first 3-0 series lead since 1985 thanks to Joel’s superb shooting.
The Wizards, on the other hand, were at a disadvantage because their main players were still recovering from injuries.
Russell recorded his 11th triple-double in playoff games despite the injury.
The 76ers took full advantage of the Wizards’ injury.
They overpowered them throughout the quarters and eventually won by a landslide.
The 76ers got off to a fast start in the first quarter
Ben Simmons opened the quarter with a layup off a rebound from Seth Curry.
Beal then responded with a layup, tying the game and then grabbing the lead with a jumper.
Joel Embiid then made a basket to tie the game, but Alex Len responded on the next play.
With 8:27 left in the quarter, they led 10-6.
Curry makes a long pass to Simmons for a slam, increasing the advantage to six points.
Russell Westbrook hit a mid-range jumper to trim the lead to a single point.
Curry, though, responded with back-to-back three-pointers, and Simmons’ pass to Danny Green for a three-pointer gives the 76ers a 9-0 lead halfway through the quarter.
Following a floater by Daniel Gafford, Tobias Harris hit another three-pointer.
Embiid followed with a two-pointer from just inside the arc.
With roughly 4 minutes left in the quarter, they were up 31-14.
With less than three minutes remaining, Gafford launched a 6-0 run for the Wizards, trimming the margin to ten points.
Raul Neto missed the floater, but Gafford nailed it for the Wizards.
The quarter concluded 28-36, with the 76ers leading by eight points going into the second quarter.
The 76ers kept outscoring the Wizards
The second quarter began with a 76ers bucket. Westbrook promptly followed with a three-pointer.
Matisse Thybulle then responded with a slam.
Westbrook then drew a foul and dropped a floater before responding with another shot.
Bradley Beal hit a jumper, and Embiid responded with a jumper. Beal responded once again with a jumper.
On the other end, Danny Green soon hit a three-pointer.
And Rui Hachimura hit a wide-open corner three.
Following that, Embiid responded with a three-pointer off Simmons’ pass.
Robin Lopez threw a bucket toward Simmons. Embiid then hit a jumper.
Green hit back-to-back three-pointers to put them up 56-50 with 4:50 left in the fourth.
Embiid hit a fadeaway to extend the advantage to 14 points.
On the next possession, Hachimura hit a three-pointer, and Westbrook hit a jumper.
He dropped yet another jumper.
Green hit another three-pointer after Embiid’s pass. While Embiid drove directly to the basket and dunked.
The 76ers led by 14 points at the end of the quarter, 72-58.
The 76ers maintained their lead in the third quarter.
Westbrook began the third quarter with a three-point shot. On the next possession, he made another three-pointer.
Embiid then responded with a three-point shot.
Following Simmons’ pass, Tobias Harris hit a three-pointer.
Embiid responded with a jumper after Hachimura dropped one.
Harris hit a mid-range jumper to make it 80-69 with roughly nine minutes left in the quarter.
On the next possession, Harris dropped another bucket. Curry followed that with a three-pointer from the corner.
After that, Westbrook found Gafford for the slam.
On the next possession, Embiid hit a reverse layup and a jumper to put the Wizards up 89-73.
Curry’s feed to Harris for a slam gave the 76ers another basket.
With 4:27 left in the quarter, Embiid hit a fadeaway for a 20-point edge.
Beal then made a basket, and Curry responded with a three-pointer.
After being guarded by Anthony Gill, Curry found George Hill for a three-pointer.
Ish Smith followed with a three-pointer.
With 2:04 remaining, the score was 105-82.
Simmons then drove to the basket and drained a floater. Hill lobbed another bucket to Simmons.
Beal then threw down a jumper. The 76ers led 109-86 at the end of the third quarter.
The Sixers won in the fourth quarter
On the next possession, Harris hit a jumper and found Dwight Howard for a dunk.
On the other end, Howard blocked Westbrook’s shot.
Thybulle responded with a jumper after Beal dropped a floater.
Tyrese Maxey followed with a floater and a jumper on the next possession.
He also assisted Mike Scott for a three-pointer and George Hill for another.
They led 127-99 with around three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
Raul Neto made a layup, and Scott responded with another three-pointer.
Shake Milton hit a fadeaway with 1:43 left in the quarter.
The quarter finished 132-103, with the 76ers winning by 29 points over the Wizards.
Embiid had a fantastic night.
The current MVP candidate delivered an MVP-caliber performance today, leading the 76ers to another victory over the Wizards.
He had a playoff career-high 36 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists in just 28 minutes.
His 28-minute scoring total is the second-shortest by a player with 35-plus points since the NBA’s shot-clock era began in 1954.
HE MADE 14 OF 18 FLOOR SHOTS AND RESTED THE WHOLE FOURTH QUARTER.
“I can’t think of anyone playing better than him,” said Wizards coach Scott Brooks.
“That was MVP-level performance tonight.” He’s certainly a handful.”
Embiid only missed three shots, one of which was a slam, prompting opposing fans to boo, but he then knocked down the dunk the next time, effectively shutting down the crowd.
“I missed the dunk, and [the fans] let me know,” Embiid explained.
“I had another chance, and I wanted to hear even more booing.”
It energizes me; I enjoy it. I simply enjoy playing on the road.”
He’s averaging 30.6 points on 67% shooting, including 55% on 3-point attempts after going 3-for-4 in Game 3.
“It was a one-on-one situation, and I wanted to make the most of it.”
“I guess it’s up to them to make that decision,” Embiid added.
“Whether you send a double-team or not, it’s difficult to stop me.”
“Joel was fantastic tonight,” said 76ers coach Doc Rivers.
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The 76ers players performed admirably in the game
Except for Joel Embiid, all of the starters scored in double figures.
Tobias Harris had a double-double of 20 points and 13 rebounds, as well as 5 assists.
Danny Green led the way with 15 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists.
Seth Curry added 15 points and 6 assists in 27 minutes.
Ben Simmons scored 14 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, and dished out 9 assists.
.”You’re going to win a lot of games when you shoot the ball that well,” coach Doc Rivers said.
“It was one of those nights when everything fell into place for us.”
Russell Westbrook, on the other hand, led the Wizards with a triple-double of 26 points, 23 rebounds, and 10 assists.
As a result, he is now tied for third all-time in postseason triple-doubles with Jason Kidd.
Westbrook played about 21 minutes in the first half and over 34 total minutes before exiting the game late in the blowout.
“I kind of knew he was going to play after the last game,” Beal said. “He was going to play, even if it was only for two minutes.”
Meanwhile, Bradley Beal, who was out with a strained left hamstring, finished with 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Rui Hachimura finished with 10 points and 5 rebounds.
Daniel Gafford led the Wizards’ bench with 16 points and six rebounds.
Now, the 76ers will meet the Wizards in Game 4 on Monday, hoping to complete the series sweep.
