JOEL EMBIID FINISHED with 33 points as the Philadelphia 76ers routed the Toronto Raptors 116-95 to take a 2-1 lead in their NBA second-round playoff series.
Embiid also had 10 rebounds and five blocked shots for his 12th double-double in 15 career playoff games.
“I was trying not to force anything and if I didn’t have it, I just moved it to my teammates,” he said. “We wanted to put our foot down in the fourth and we did that by making stops.”
Jimmy Butler added 22 points, nine assists and nine rebounds while JJ Redick delivered 15 points for the Sixers, who have won two straight including a gritty 94-89 victory in game two three nights ago.
Game four will be played in Philadelphia on Sunday.
Kawhi Leonard paced the Raptors’ attack with 33 points while Pascal Siakam added 20.
Leonard has scored at least 30 points in five of Toronto’s eight playoff games this season, including all three games against Philadelphia.
Embiid was at his theatrical best, jiggling his shoulders and rocking a mock baby after scoring baskets.
“I need it. When I have fun, my game just changes,” he said. “I have always been told that if I don’t smile during the game that I’m either having a bad game or I’m not into it.
“I know that to get my game going, I have to have fun on the court.”
“I think we got outplayed in just about every area we could get outplayed. In overall physicality, energy, cutting, rebounding, passing, all that kind of stuff,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said.
“We got thoroughly outplayed and it’s been a while… since you’ve seen this team play this way.”
Gavan Casey and Murray Kinsella are joined by Andy Dunne to discuss all the week’s rugby news.:
The42 Rugby Weekly / SoundCloud
Subscribe to our new podcast, The42 Rugby Weekly, here:
