Thriller in Philly: Booker, Suns survive big night from Sixers’ Embiid
Williams continued about Booker. “He didn’t do that. That’s who he is. (He) doesn’t run from that responsibility of being a closer and knocking down big shots to help the team win.”
Phoenix survived a stern 38-point, 17-rebound effort from Joel Embiid, who nearly hit a onehanded heave from 67 feet out after Chris Paul missed the second free throw with 0.8 seconds left that would’ve forced overtime.
“That’s crazy,” Suns wing Mikal Bridges said as he was looking back at Embiid in near disbelief after the miss. “If he would’ve made that, I don’t know how I would’ve reacted. That was crazy.”
The Suns escaped Milwaukee with an one-point overtime win Monday as Booker was fouled on a deep jumper as time expired.
With 0.3 seconds put back on the clock after the play was reviewed, Booker hit the first free throw and missed the second on purpose as time expired.
Two days later, Paul, a 93.1% free throw shooter, missed the second of two free throw, Embiid rebounded the ball and in the same motion turned towards the rim and off one foot nearly threw it in one-handed from 67 feet according to the stat sheet.
“When I threw it, it looked good,” Embiid said. “It almost (went in). Crazy shot. It looked like it went in and out. That’s just unfortunate.”
Whew.
“I don’t know what to say about that shot,” Williams said. “It’s just one of those things that could’ve made for a really long flight, long night. Not a lot of sleep.”
Paul clarified he wasn’t trying to intentionally miss the second free throw that led to Embiid’s near miracle heave for 3.
“Absolutely,” said Paul when asked if was he trying to make the second free throw. “If you’re up three, you always want to make it to go up four. I didn’t miss it on purpose.”
The Sixers, the top team in the Eastern Conference, were without Ben Simmons (illness), Tobias Harris (knee) and Steph Curry, but led by 10 points in the first quarter.
“It was one of those games where when we saw all those guys out, you’re just hoping that your team can muster up the same intensity that you would have if they had their full complement of players. It’s kind of human nature to have a bit of a emotional letdown, but I thought we got back in the second quarter,” said Suns coach Monty Williams.
The Suns went into halftime tied with the 76ers at 54-54.
Phoenix went up by as many as nine with 4:53 left in the game as Jevon Carter hit back-to-back 3s during a 12-4 run that put Phoenix up 105-96.
The Sixers responded with a 17-10 surge to cut Phoenix’s lead down to two with 2.8 seconds remaining as Embiid and Furkan Korkmaz hit back-to-back 3s to cap the run.
The Suns would’ve likely had the lead if Booker didn’t show out in the fourth as he scored eight of those 10 Phoenix points on 3-of-4 shooting from the field (2-of-2 FTs).
The rest of Suns shot 1-of-7 during that stretch, missing six straight after a short Paul jumper.
“Shows how he’s a big-time player,” Bridges said. “Struggled a little bit, but stayed with it and came out in the fourth and hit big-time shots. Big-time player. That’s what he does.”
Then Paul, who finished with a teamhigh 28 points, was fouled by rookie Tyrese Maxey with 0.8 seconds left. Paul made the first, missed the second and every one inside Wells Fargo Arena watched Embiid’s long toss rattle in and out the rim at the horn.
“He let it go and that thing was on a line headed right towards the hoop,” Suns wing Cam Johnson said. “I was like, ain’t no way, ain’t no way. Then it kind of rattled around the rim. You watch the replay of it. It was down. It just had so much velocity, it popped out, but that was a heck of display of a throw right there in general. We were all in shock a little bit just about how close it was. It was pretty impressive, but I’m glad it didn’t go in.”
Bridges scored 18 points back in his hometown as he saw his family for a minute after the game while Johnson added 15 off the bench as starting forward Jae Crowder rolled his ankle and only played 13 minutes in scoring just three points on 1-of-7 shooting.
The Suns scored 24 points off 17 Philadelphia turnovers.
Phoenix will continue five-game road trip Thursday against Boston (31-27), which hasn’t played since Monday’s loss to Chicago.
The Suns will then have two days without a game before closing the road trip with a back-to-back starting Sunday against Brooklyn (39-19) and ending Monday versus New York (32-27).