Embiid returns, 76ers defeat Heat in Game 3

Joel Embiid inspired the 76ers with his return from a facial injury, Danny Green and Tyrese Maxey each scored 21 points and Philadelphia beat the Miami Heat 9979 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Friday night.

Wearing a black mask, Embiid had 18 points and 11 rebounds after missing the first two games of the series.

Jimmy Butler scored 33 points for the Heat, who lead the series 2-1. Game 4 is Sunday in Philadelphia.

Embiid sat out the first two games with a right orbital fracture and a mild concussion suffered in the last round. Embiid wasn’t the dominant force he was throughout the season. With Green, Maxey and James Harden all crushing Heat rallies with big buckets, Embiid didn’t have to carry the Sixers.

But the 76ers sure were glad he was back.

“Any plan where you can have Joel as part of the plan is a much better plan,” coach Doc Rivers said before the game.

Even Rivers couldn’t draw up a plan that included the play that helped put away the game: Maxey made a full-court sprint to save a basketball with an over-the-shoulder toss. The 76ers kept the ball and Embiid buried a fallaway bucket and sank the free throw for an 8674 lead.

WNBA

SEASON OPENS WITHOUT GRINER » The Phoenix Mercury opened the season at home May 6 against the Las Vegas Aces. One player who wasn’t on the bench will be prominently on everyone’s minds: Brittney Griner.

As the Mercury and the rest of the WNBA move forward into the 2022 season, Griner is nearing the three-month mark of her detention in Russia, with no timetable for her release.

“We all have concern for the situation, something that normally would be handled a lot quicker,” Washington coach Mike Thibault said before the Mystics played the Indiana Fever on Friday night. “(It) certainly hasn’t been and I think everybody sees what’s happening. She’s in everybody’s thoughts.”

Griner was detained on Feb. 17 after authorities at the Moscow airport said they found vape cartridges that allegedly contained oil derived from cannabis in her luggage, which could carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The Biden administration determined Griner is being wrongfully detained and she has a hearing set for May 19.

The WNBA will honor Griner with a floor decal with her initials on her No. 42 in arenas across the league as she continues to be detained.

NHL BRUINS TAKE GAME 3 »

Brad Marchand had a goal and two assists on to help the Bruins take their first lead against the Hurricanes all season — and hold onto it for a 4-2 victory over Carolina in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series.

Rookie Jeremy Swayman stopped 25 shots in his first career playoff start after Linus Ullmark allowed eight goals in the first two games, both Hurricanes victories. That followed a regular season in which Carolina swept all three games, outscoring the Bruins 16-1 and never trailing.

Charlie Coyle scored a short-handed goal and added an assist, and David Pastrnak had a power-play goal and an assist for Boston, which hopes to even the bestof-seven series when it hosts Game 4 on Sunday. Taylor Hall added a power-play goal for the Bruins to make it 4-1 early in the third period.