Embiid returns, 76ers take series lead
Joel Embiid had trouble with his new mask. It didn’t slow him down.
Embiid’s playoff debut was a smashing success for Philadelphia. The All-Star center returned from a 10-game absence and scored 23 points, including a personal 7-0 run down the stretch that iced matters, and the 76ers reclaimed control of their Eastern Conference firstround series by topping the Heat 128-108 on Thursday night in Miami.
The 76ers outscored the Heat 32-14 in the fourth quarter to take a 2-1 lead in the series.
“I am just so proud of what he did,” Philadelphia head coach Brett Brown said.
Thursday began with the 76ers saying Embiid, out since March 28 with a broken orbital bone and concussion, wasn’t likely to play. His status was upgraded to probable in the afternoon and then he finally was inserted into the starting lineup — medical clearance coming from the team, mask clearance coming from the NBA after the league agreed to the dark, translucent, carbonfiber, goggled apparatus that was made in consultation with independent experts.
“It was annoying,” Embiid said of getting used to the mask. “But that was the only way I could play in this game, if I wore the mask and protected my face with goggles. I had to work through it, and I did.”
The mask came off a couple of times, the goggles were askew at times as well — Miami forward Justise Winslow even stomped on them once for good measure, a play that Brown chalked up to the intensity of playoff basketball — but in the end, Embiid found a way.
He started the day doubtful and ended it dominant, with plenty of help. Marco Belinelli and Dario Saric each scored 21 for Philadelphia, and Ben Simmons finished with 19 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists.
“It’s definitely a different look when you have an All-Star back in the lineup,” Winslow said. “It changes things, for sure.”
Goran Dragic scored 23 points for Miami, which got 19 from Winslow.
Embiid banked in a turnaround straightaway jumper — a fortuitous bounce — to put Philadelphia up nine late, then connected on a three and added two free throws to start the spurt that put away the game.
Miami couldn’t find any sort of stride. Hassan Whiteside was mired in foul trouble and ineffective, finishing the night 1-for-1 from the field for five points. Dwyane Wade, who was superb in the win at Philadelphia in Game 2, shot 2-for-10.
The Heat won Game 2 by controlling the physical battle. Game 3 was another street fight, and Philadelphia didn’t back down. Philly won Game 1 by dominating the second half, and Game 3 went a similar way.
“It’s clear that the first game and the third game were played on their terms,” Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra said.
Game 4 is Saturday afternoon.
Pelicans 119, Blazers 102:
Nikola Mirotic scored 30 points to go with eight rebounds, three steals and a block, and host New Orleans took a 3-0 lead in the first-round playoff series.
Anthony Davis had 28 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and two blocks for New Orleans, which can advance past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2008 with one more victory.
Mirotic, the 6-foot-10 forward acquired in a midseason trade with Chicago after DeMarcus Cousins’ season-ending Achilles tear, made 12 of 15 shots, scoring on everything from quick-release three-pointers to cutting dunks and fastbreak layups.
Damian Lillard scored 20 for Portland, but made only 5 of 14 shots from the floor. Portland trailed by double digits for most of the first half and all of the second. Game 4 is Saturday.