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Joel Embiid Drops 36 as 76ers Dominate Wizards to Take Commanding 3-0 Series Lead
May 30, 2021
After notching the No. 8 seed via the play-in tournament, Washington's postseason run appears headed for an early end after a 132-103 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series on Saturday. No team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 series deficit.
The Wizards will attempt to be the first beginning with Game 4 in Washington on Monday night.
Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons were electric once again in the victory, combing for 50 points as the Sixers move one win away from a first-round sweep.
Notable Performers
Joel Embiid, PF, Philadelphia 76ers: 36 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals
Ben Simmons, PG, Philadelphia 76ers: 14 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds
Russell Westbrook, PG, Washington Wizards: 26 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists
Bradley Beal, SG, Washington Wizards: 25 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
Embiid Drops Career-High In Postseason
Whatever hope the Wizards had of reasserting themselves at home against the Sixers evaporated about as soon as the ball was tipped on Saturday. That was mostly due to the play of Embiid, who showed once again why he’s an MVP finalist this year with a career-best performance in the playoffs.
Embiid notched 25 points in the first half alone before finishing with 36 for the night while shooting 14-of-18 from the floor in 28 minutes. The Sixers didn't even need him in the fourth quarter, otherwise those numbers surely would've been higher.
But it wasn’t just the way Embiid’s shots were falling so much as where he was launching them from.
The big man was able to get to nearly any spot he wanted on the floor with ease, backing down Wizards forward Robin Lopez on multiple occasions as he drilled five shots from mid-range, dropped in another six buckets in the paint and went 3-of-4 from behind the arc.
His Sixers teammates joined in, especially from long range. Philadelphia made 17 three-pointers compared to just eight by the Wizards. That helped the Sixers notch at least 36 points in each of the first three quarters and run away with a road victory to move one win away from a first-round sweep.
Saturday was also the third straight game Philly scored at least 120 points as all five starters notched at least 14 points. By the end of the night, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers was able to empty his bench and give his starts plenty of rest ahead of Game 4.
Wizards On The Brink
Whatever magic the Wizards harnessed to battle their way from last in the Eastern Conference to the No. 8 seed appears to have run out against the Sixers. Those good vibes weren't the only thing missing in Washington, however, as any semblance of the Wizards' defense proved hard to find on Saturday.
Washington allowed the Sixers to shoot an astounding 58.6 percent from the field and 51.5 percent on three-pointers while getting absolutely clobbered on the boards. Philadelphia out-rebounded the Wizards 51-41 overall, but 44-28 on the defensive glass in particular.
Not even another triple-double from Russell Westbrook could make up for Washington's lack of answers on defense, to say little of the Wizards shooting 39.6 percent from the floor.
Three years after Washington was last in the postseason, it appears it's headed for another early exit. The Wizards' last playoff appearance ended with a first-round loss to the Toronto Raptors in six games.
Washington hasn't advanced to the second round since the 2016-17 season. It doesn't appear 2021 will end that streak.
Not unless head coach Scott Brooks can retool his team's defense before Game 4. If not, he may have to plead his case to the front office if he hopes to keep his job.
What's Next
Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal is set for Monday at 7 p.m. ET on TNT.
This article will be updated to provide more information on this story as it becomes available.
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