Embiid gets late block as Maxey, 76ers take 3-0 lead on Nets

NEW YORK(AP) — Laboring throughout the game and perhaps lucky to not havebeen ejected forkickinga Nets player in the groin area,Joel Embiid told himselfhe had to stay on the floor.

Even if theNets kept hitting him or trying to make him lose his cool, heneeded to be there for his Philadelphia 76ers.

“You couldsee what the game plan was. Got to hit him, try to make mefrustrated so I could get ejected,” Embiid said. “So, I’m toomature to put myself in a position where I’m going to be ejected,so I just went about my business and we got the win.”

Thanks inpart to his huge block at the end.

Embiidblocked a potential tying basket with 8.8 seconds left and the76ers beat Brooklyn 102-97 on Thursday night to take a 3-0 lead inthe first-round series.

TyreseMaxey made the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 44 seconds left for the76ers, who can sweep their way into the second round with a victorySaturday in Brooklyn.

With JamesHarden having beenejected in the thirdquarter for another groin shotand Embiid not looking likehis usual dominant self, Maxey took over the offense and scoredeight straight points, turning a five-point deficit into a 99-96lead on his 3-pointer.

“Tonight,when our ballhandler, our leader went out, take that role in thefourth quarter and help us get into our stuff, help us win thegame,” Maxey said.

SpencerDinwiddie made one free throw, then appeared to have a path to thebasket for a tying layup before Embiid rose up and swatted it. P.J.Tucker made a free throw to make it 100-97, and the Nets turned itover on their next possession.

Maxeyscored 25 points and Harden had 21 for the 76ers. Embiid shot just5 for 13 but had 14 points and 10 rebounds.

MikalBridges scored 26 points and Dinwiddie had 20 for the Nets, whohave lost nine straight playoff games and are on the verge of beingswept for the second straight year. Cam Johnson scored 17points.

“I told thegroup they didn’t give up, they grew up tonight,” Nets coach JacqueVaughn said.

Embiid wentto the locker room for treatment after checking out in the firstquarter, then was limping multiple times later.

The 76ersmight’ve been lucky he was still in the game at that point.

Nets fansloudly booed the decision not to eject him for kicking his leg uptoward Nic Claxton’s groin in the first quarter, after the Netscenter stepped over him after he dunked and Embiid fouled him andfell to the court. Those not in the arena took to social media toask why he wasn’t tossed, as Golden State’sDraymondGreen was for stepping on Sacramento’s Domantas SabonisinGame 2 of their series. Green was then suspended by the NBA forGame 3.

Claxtonended up called for a technical foul — and was ejected in thefourth quarter when he picked up a second one.

But theruling went against the 76ers in the third quarter when Harden,while closely guarded by Royce O’Neale, swung out his armandstruck the swingman, whofell to the court in pain.

Crew chiefTony Brothers said Harden’s direct contact to the groin made hispenalty a flagrant 2, while Embiid’s wasn’t because of his area ofcontact.

The Netsraced to a 19-11, riding an emotional boost after Embiid’s flagrantfoul. But Philadelphia would recover to lead 32-28 after one,extended the lead to 51-40 on Maxey’s 3-pointer with 3:52 left inthe half and the lead remained 11 at the break.

But Bridgesgot the Nets off to a quick start in the third and Johnson scored13 points, helping the Nets outscore the 76ers 35-18 in the thirdto bring an 82-76 edge to the fourth.

TIP-INS

76ers:Tobias Harris scored 15 points.

Nets:Brooklyn’s last playoff victory was Game 5 of the 2021 EasternConference semifinals, before Milwaukee rallied to win that seriesand eventually the NBA title. ... The Nets fell to 0-6 vs. the76ers at home in the playoffs. They are 4-5 on the road, with onewin in 2019 and three in 1984, when they stunned the defending NBAchampions 3-2 in the first round.

SECRETSTAT?

76ers coachDoc Rivers was answering a question about how the Nets weredefending Harden when he revealed something that created somepuzzled looks in the room.

“I don’twant to sound like I’m campaigning, but I am,” Rivers said. “Jamesand Joel do lead the league in missed calls, as far as fouls. Theygot fouled the most, and that’s not a Sixers stat by the way. I’mjust saying.”

Asked formore details about this stat, Rivers would only reply: “I will justsay that it’s a stat that we know that it’s there.”