11:27 PM ET
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.– Since they got to the NBAs bubble at the Walt Disney World Resort, the Philadelphia 76ers have actually stressed the significance of Joel Embiids enhanced reads out of double-teams to the Sixers success.
However in the last 2 minutes of Game 3 of Philadelphias first-round playoff series versus the Boston Celtics, Embiid made important mistakes– a horrible pass that went directly to Celtics guard Marcus Smart and a forced shot that was blocked by Celtics forward Jayson Tatum. The errors resulted in six Boston points, part of a 10-0 go to end the game that allowed the Celtics to claim a 102-94 victory Friday and take a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series in between the leagues oldest rivals.
” I believed I got much better at passing out of the double-teams, and it happened,” Embiid said afterward. That was a big mistake.
2 RelatedThe issue for the Sixers, however, is those errors have actually put them on the verge of being sent house by the Celtics from the playoffs for the 2nd time in three years– and in embarrassing fashion, at that.
It was a minor miracle the Sixers could even take a crack at to win the game at the end, thinking about how their offense performed. Philadelphia completed the game shooting an abysmal 29.5% from the floor, and an even worse 9-for-39 (23.1%) from 3-point range.
The excellent news of 20 offending rebounds is a wonderful effort, however lots of that were theres lots of rebounds to get. Its difficult to win when you shoot 29% for the game and 23% from the 3. We got to the line, we did a lot of excellent things.
” We just did not make shots.”
Due to those Embiid mistakes– combined with Josh Richardson getting obstructed by Tatum on the following ownership– Philadelphia didnt even get a shot to the rim while the Celtics rattled off 8 successive indicate put the video game away. After the Sixers have invested the past 6 weeks stating that Embiid would be able to operate out of those double-teams successfully in these moments, it was an especially deflating series of events.
” I think the last 2 plays are disappointing,” Brown stated. “I dont think you can lessen that, or state it any other way. I do seem like hes made incredible progress in the environment that didnt favor him at the end of the game throughout crunch time. Ive returned and seen those 2 plays. Theres other targets that were open if we had to do it once again. We made the wrong read, and theres the game.
” Im delighted we got him the ball. I wish we did much better after we got him it.”
Embiid was dominant in the very first half, racking up 22 points and 10 rebounds prior to the break while going 6-for-11 from the field. In the 2nd half, Embiid shot just 1-for-9 from the field, making his only field goal with less than 6 minutes to go in the video game, and ended up the night with 30 points and 13 rebounds– along with being minus-18 in his 35 minutes on the court.
Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images” I mean, we were just running the offense,” Embiid stated of his absence of production in the 2nd half. “Mostly thinking back in that third quarter and the start of the 4th, it was a bunch of plays, you know, simply like, set screens and things, and just running through calls and stuff. If it does not, we can use me to kind of set my colleagues up to help them and get some shots.
At this point, whether the Sixers could have done more is irrelevant. All that matters is that they discover themselves in a 3-0 deficit heading into Game 4 on Sunday afternoon. Still, in spite of the loss and the deficit the Sixers now discover themselves in, both Embiid and Brown remained bold afterward about their groups opportunities of starting to combat its method back into the series.
” You cant give up,” Embiid said. “Youve got to keep fighting. Youve got to play hard. Youve got to can be found in on Sunday … I do not wish to be swept. I dont desire that on my résumé, so like I said, Ive been playing my butt off, and Im going to be available in and do whatever that I can to make certain that we win a video game and take one game at a time.”
“I comprehend, I get it, everyone would presume this series is over due to the fact that were out 3 and 0. Were going to come in and play the game and get a win.
” I thought I got better at passing out of the double-teams, and it occurred,” Embiid said later. If it doesnt, we can utilize me to kind of set my teammates up to help them and get some shots. I do not desire that on my résumé, so like I stated, Ive been playing my butt off, and Im going to come in and do everything that I can to make sure that we win a game and take one video game at a time.”
Tim BontempsESPN
Normally, the Sixers would have been playing Games 3 and 4 of this series in the house as the lower-seeded group. And while Brown said during his television interview between the fourth and third quarters Friday that the “crowd”– as in the crowd noise being pumped into the arena to provide some sort of home-court feel for the “home” team in this neutral-court environment– assisted his team stay in the game, the Sixers will be the very first group to face removal inside the NBAs bubble when they take the court at 1 p.m. ET Sunday (ABC).
Still, Brown stated those circumstances– and the reality no NBA group has ever returned from down 3-0 in a best-of-seven series– doesnt have him thinking Philadelphias season has already concerned an end.
“I understand, I get it, everybody would presume this series is over since were out 3 and 0. Were going to come in and play the video game and get a win.
” Its to keep a series alive. I truly mean that. Thats my message to them, thats my message to my personnel, and thats what I believe.”
