Snapshot:
The 76ers fought hard to the finish in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, but their effort ultimately fell short, as the team lost to the Boston Celtics, 102-94.
Boston’s lead in the best-of-seven series is now 3-0.
The Sixers’ consistent hustle and physical play led to the most competitive game of the series to date, as the teams exchanged 10 lead changes and 11 ties.
Despite a historic effort from Joel Embiid (see below), who finished with 30 points, 13 rebounds, a block, a steal, and made 16 trips to the foul stripe (14-16), the Celtics’ balanced attack and a 10-0 run to close the fourth period gave Boston the win.
The Sixers’ defense held Jayson Tatum to his quietest outing in the series thus far, as he finished with 16 points and six rebounds. Kemba Walker led the Celtics with 24 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals, while Jaylen Brown added 21 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.
The Sixers attempted 34 free throws, and made 29. They out-rebounded the Celtics, 57-45, and bested Boston on the offensive boards, 20-3. The Sixers scored 20 second-chance points, while the Celtics scored nine.
But even with the Sixers’ commendable effort on the glass, the team’s struggles from the field made the difference, as they only converted 29.5% of their shots.
Key Contributors:
-
Joel Embiid
-
With Embiid’s 30-point, 13-rebound performance, he became the first Sixer to score at least 25 points in three straight playoff games since Allen Iverson in 2005.
-
Embiid is the first Sixer to post at least 25 points and 10 rebounds in three straight playoff games since Charles Barkley did the same in 1986.
-
Shake Milton
-
In Milton’s third career playoff game, he notched his own playoff-high 17 points, six rebounds, and three assists. He has scored in double figures in all three games in the series thus far, and notched seven points in Friday's fourth quarter. His driving lay-up with four and a half minutes to go gave the Sixers a 90-89 lead
-
Josh Richardson
-
Richardson added 17 points of his own, along with three rebounds and three assists. He had a strong defensive outing, collecting two steals and two blocks, while handling the lion's share of the load on Jayson Tatum.
-
Tobias Harris
-
Harris posted a 15-point, 15-rebound double-double, along with four assists, a steal, and a block, marking his second consecutive double-double.
Quote of Note:
Embiid will not give up:
“I thought defensively, we did a better job. We were good defensively. We’ve got to lock in. You can’t give up, you’ve got to keep fighting.”
@Sixers Social:
Another big night for Embiid.
Up Next:
Game 4 tips Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET.