Joel Embiid pulled off a fantastic road victory for the Philadelphia 76ers during Game 3 of the first-round series against the Toronto Raptors. While playing in the Scotiabank Arena, Philly was pushed to the limit by the Raptors, who stretched the game into overtime even though they looked like they could have won it during regulation.
OT was just as close as, with the team’s being tied at the end of the session as well. Just as fans started strapping in for 2OT, Embiid hit a wonderful three-pointer with under a second left on the clock. That sealed the victory for Philly and has given them a 3-0 lead over Toronto.
Tyrese Maxey has emerged as a star for the 76ers this season and has been extremely good in the playoffs. He was on the court when Embiid received the ball and decided to talk about the play and seemed to be just as shocked as everyone else that Embiid made that shot.
Tyrese Maxey's reaction to the Embiid shot is all of us 😅😅😅 pic.twitter.com/nFV2D5i9kn
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) April 21, 2022
“I knew the ball was going to him. When he caught it, I don’t know. That was crazy man. Joel is Joel.”
Maxey was left speechless for good reason, as Embiid got his revenge on the Raptors for eliminating him through a Game 7 buzzer-beater in the second round of the playoffs. While the stakes now aren’t as high, doing that to the franchise that ruined your best chance at a title in 2019 has to be a great feeling for the big man.
Embiid is arguably the best player in the NBA at this moment, with all top players like Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, and others having taken losses so far. Embiid has been consistent in leading this team through the playoffs. They look secure as a second-round team and will await the winner of the 1-8 matchup.
