The Most Important Game for the Sixers

In absolutely thrilling and dramatic fashion, the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Toronto Raptors 104-101 in overtime on Sunday. What makes this win the most important of the series so far isn’t just the fact they won and are up 3-0, it’s how they won, and the circumstances in which that makes this win so impressive. That’s not even talking about the Embiid three to go up by 3 with 0.8 seconds left. That was just gravy. In fact, if they had just lost in OT it would’ve been still significant, because they managed to battle through all their flaws and still win.

Keep Fighting

Yong Kim/Philadelphia Inquirer

Once again, taking a 3-0 lead and having Embiid hit the clutchest of shots was simply an incredible bonus on the sundae that was their Game 3 performance. What is truly special about this performance was their ability to fight back against all odds. They were down as many as 17 points against the Raptors, in the most hostile of environments, already up 2-0. They could’ve easily packed it up, or let things get completely out of hand by continuing to spiral out of control. They often have. This time though, they continued to fight and battle and claw their way back. Doc Rivers has a reputation for choking, and a Raptors’ blowout could have been the catalyst. 

Showing that tremendous fight, the belief to come back and the steadiness and calmness with which they played was awesome to see. James Harden in particular was immense in this one, especially in the second and third quarters to keep the Sixers in striking distance. From four minutes in the second quarter to about four minutes in the third, Harden scored or assisted on 21 of the 76ers’ 29 points scored. He was able to get buckets on his own when needed, but most importantly he was able to get Embiid easy shots and get him in rhythm after a terrible 1st quarter. He kept the ball relatively safe over that period as well, which was fantastic considering how loose they were with the ball for most of the first half. 

Beating Murphy’s Law

AP

The best part about the win was the fact that they managed to pull this one out when almost everything that could have gone wrong, did. The Sixers’ shot well, but in many other facets of their game it was about the worst it could’ve gone, in their weakest areas. They committed a season-high 22 turnovers, which has definitely been an issue for them against good teams this season. Much of those were the classic Embiid frustration turnovers, with the Raptors swarming defense clearly getting to him in the first half. Trying to take on too many guys, trying too ambitious of passes, attempting to dribble his way into the paint without looking up, it was all there. Not only that, but in the first half they also struggled on the defensive boards, again like they’ve done so many times. The Raptors ended up shooting 12 more shots than the 76ers. Somehow, the Sixers still managed to win. A huge part of that was playing much safer and rebounding better in the second half, as they turned the ball over just six times (still not great, but much better than the 16 in the first). Managing to win while letting the Raptors take advantage of their two biggest weaknesses is incredible, and should fill them with confidence to close this series out quickly. 

Without Harden

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Not only did they manage to win despite the turnover mess, they also managed to win with Harden, their second and third quarter catalyst, playing limited minutes in the fourth quarter and none in OT due to fouling out. Harden got his fifth foul with 9:13 left in the game, and didn’t reappear until there was 4:41 in the fourth. He fouled out with 28 seconds to go, leaving him unavailable for overtime. The Sixers’ definitely need Harden, as the playmaking took a drastic step down without him, but the outstanding play of Tyrese Maxey has let them weather the storm time and time again. He’s now averaging 26.7 points in the series, and his ability to score consistently when the Sixers need it the most is so needed. The growing trust the team has in him is also evident, as Harden and Embiid are more willing than ever to defer to him and let him go to work, which is incredibly important. Maxey has shown right now that he is the second best scorer on this team, and he’s absolutely living up to that, and that’s a massive part of why the Sixers’ are up 3-0. 

Work Left to Do

The Raptors will not go down without a fight, but this was an important blow to their morale. To lose in this fashion, with all the advantages they could have wanted in their game plan, on their own court, with a big lead, is absolutely crushing. While they are down, the Sixers need to bury them. Don’t let the Raptors recover, don’t let 3-1 rumors start. Take the momentum from this game and run with it, or the Raptors will come back with a vengeance. The Raptors probably should’ve taken this game, and leaving the door open for them will only lead to issues. This win should give the Sixers confidence that they are the better team, and can win any game. Use that, and get a well-deserved rest heading into the second round.