Siakam, Raptors avoid series sweep

It was a thumbs down day for Joel Embiid and the 76ers, who couldn’t complete a first-round sweep of the Raptors.

Pascal Siakam scored 15 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter, Gary Trent Jr. added 24 points and the Raptors beat Embiid and the Sixers 110-102 on Saturday. Game 5 is Monday night in Philadelphia.

“We’ll be ready, I can guarantee you that,” 76ers coach Doc Rivers said.

Embiid started despite a right thumb injury that required him to wear a brace.

“It’s painful,” Embiid said. “In basketball you need to use your hand a lot.”

No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win an NBA playoff series. Fans briefly chanted “Raps in seven” after both coaches emptied their benches in the final minutes. Embiid said he injured his thumb in the first half of Wednesday’s Game 3, and had it taped at halftime. He finished that game with a decisive 3-pointer in overtime, but wore a brace afterward, and at Friday’s practice.

Although Rivers said the Sixers don’t believe the injury can get worse, Embiid was seen shaking his hand in pain several times Saturday, occasionally doubling over as he squeezed the area.

“It’s going to be something he’s going to have to deal with throughout the playoffs from this point on,” Rivers said. “It’s not going to go away. He’ll get better and better at figuring out how to use it.”

Embiid shot 3 for 10 in the first half. He finished 7 for 16 and scored 21 points in 39 minutes. He said he expects to undergo an MRI in Philadelphia Monday but will likely keep playing even if doctors recommend surgery.

“I want to play,” he said. “I would imagine that I keep playing and probably do something after the season.”

Jazz tie up series: Rudy Gobert gave the Jazz the lead with an alley-oop dunk with 11.0 seconds left and the Jazz held off the Mavericks 100-99 on Saturday in Game 4 to tie the first-round series.

Spencer Dinwiddie missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the Mavericks. Jordan Clarkson scored 25 points for the Jazz, Donovan Mitchell added 23 points and seven assists, and Rudy Gobert had 17 points and 15 rebounds — 10 off the offensive glass. Mavs star Luka Doncic scored 30 points, 10 rebounds four assists in his return from a threegame absence because of strained left calf.

Game 5 is Monday night in Dallas.