There is no stopping for the MVP candidate Joel Embiid and No.1 seed Philadelphia 76ers.
As they are on the mission to have a series sweep over the Washington Wizards.
Entering the court with two wins over the Wizards, the 76ers got their third win on Saturday night, defeating the Wizards 132-103.
Joel Embiid on fire against the Wizards as he had a playoff career-high in just 28 minutes and led the 76ers to the win.
With the brilliant shooting from Joel, the 76ers took the franchise’s first 3-0 series lead since 1985.
On the other hand, the Wizards were at disadvantage with their key players still healing from injuries.
Despite the injury, Russell dropped his 11th triple-double in the playoff games.
The 76ers took full advantage of the injured Wizards team.
As they dominated them throughout the quarters and ultimately had a blow-out win.
The 76ers started strong in the first quarter.
Ben Simmons started the quarter with a layup on Seth Curry’s bounce-pass.
Beal then answered back with a layup, tying the game and subsequently, taking the lead with a jumper.
Joel Embiid then dropped a layup tying the game but Alex Len answered back on the next possession.
They were 10-6 with 8:27 remaining in the quarter.
Curry long pass to Simmons for a dunk extending the lead to 6 points.
Russell Westbrook dropped a mid-range jumper to cut the lead within a point.
However, Curry answered back with back-to-back three-pointers and Simmons pass to Danny Green for a three-pointer gives the 76ers a 9-0 run halfway into the quarter.
In your face,
Hot & spicy… https://t.co/FOj2xxQNEA pic.twitter.com/haALpycB29
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 29, 2021
Tobias Harris came up with another three-pointer after Daniel Gafford dropped a floater.
Embiid then knocked down a two-pointer from just inside the arc.
They were 31-14 with about 4 minutes remaining in the quarter.
Gafford started a 6-0 run for the Wizards cutting the lead to 10 points with under three minutes remaining.
Raul Neto missed the floater but Gafford quickly dunked it in for the Wizards.
The quarter ended 28-36 with the 76ers taking 8 point lead entering the second quarter.
The 76ers continued to outscore the Wizards.
The second quarter started with a bucket from the 76ers. Westbrook then quickly dropped a three-pointer.
Matisse Thybulle then answered back with a dunk.
Westbrook then drew a foul, dropping a floater, He again strikes back with another bucket.
Bradley Beal dropped a jumper and Embiid answered back with a jumper. To which Beal answered again with a jumper.
Joel Embiid gets out to 25 PTS in the opening half of Game 3 on ESPN! #NBAPlayoffs #HereTheyCome pic.twitter.com/QUNcSPP54q
— NBA (@NBA) May 30, 2021
Danny Green quickly dropped a three-pointer on the other end.
And Rui Hachimura knocked down a wide-open corner three.
Subsequently, Embiid answered with a three-pointer on Simmons’ pass.
Robin Lopez dropped a bucket over Simmons. Embiid then dropped a jumper.
They were 56-50 with 4:50 remaining in the quarter as Green dropped back-to-back three-pointer.
Embiid came up with a fadeaway, taking a 14 point lead.
Hachimura then knocked down a three-pointer and Westbrook dropped a jumper on the next possession.
He again dropped another jumper.
Green knocked down another three-pointer on Embiid’s pass. While Embiid drove straight to the basket knocking down a dunk.
The quarter ended 72-58 with the 76ers taking a 14 point lead.
The 76ers continued to dominate in the third quarter.
Westbrook started the third quarter with a three-pointer. He knocked down another three-pointer on the next possession.
Embiid then answered back, knocking down a three-pointer.
Three
after three
after three. pic.twitter.com/fXDcpfvg82
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 30, 2021
Tobias Harris subsequently dropped a three-pointer on Simmons’ pass.
Hachimura then dropped a jumper and Embiid answered back with a jumper.
They were 80-69 with about nine minutes remaining in the quarter as Harris dropped a mid-range jumper.
Harris dropped another bucket on the next possession. Curry subsequently knocked down a three-pointer from the corner.
Westbrook then found Gafford for the dunk.
The Wizards trailed the 76ers 89-73 as Embiid dropped a reverse layup and a jumper on the next possession.
Curry’s pass to Harris for a dunk gave another bucket for the 76ers.
Embiid knocked down a fadeaway, taking 20 point lead with 4:27 remaining in the quarter.
Beal then came up with a bucket and Curry answered back with a three-pointer.
Curry subsequently found George Hill for a three-pointer after guarded by Anthony Gill.
Ish Smith then knocked down a three-pointer.
They were 105-82 with 2:04 remaining on the clock.
Simmons then drove straight to the rim, dropping a floater. Hill lob to Simmons gave another bucket.
Beal then dropped a jumper. The quarter ended 109-86 with the 76ers leading again.
The 76ers took the win in the fourth quarter.
Harris dropped a jumper and found Dwight Howard for a dunk on the next possession.
While Howard blocked Westbrook’s shot on the other end.
Beal dropped a floater and Thybulle answered back with a jumper.
Tyrese Maxey then dropped a floater and came up with a jumper on the next possession.
He also set up Mike Scott for a three-pointer and George Hill for another three-pointer.
They were 127-99 with about three minutes left to play in the fourth.
Raul Neto came up with a layup and Scott answered back with another three-pointer.
Shake Milton dropped a fadeaway with a 1:43 remaining in the quarter.
The quarter finally ended 132-103 with the 76ers taking a 29 point win over the Wizards.
Amazing night from Embiid.
The current MVP candidate showed MVP level performance tonight to lift the 76ers up another win over the Wizards.
He dropped a playoff career-high 36 points in just 28 minutes along with 8 rebounds and 2 assists.
His scoring in 28 minutes is the second-fewest minutes by a player who scored 35-plus points since the NBA’s shot-clock era began in 1954.
He made 14 of 18 shots from the floor and rested the entire fourth quarter.
“I can’t imagine anybody playing better than him,” Wizards coach Scott Brooks said. “That was MVP-level tonight. He’s definitely a handful.”
Embiid only missed three shots and one of them being a dunk which made opposing fans shout boos but then he knocked down the dunk the next time that shut down the crowd.
“I missed the dunk, and [the fans] let me hear about it,” Embiid said. “I had another opportunity, and I wanted to hear more boos. It gets me going; I like it. I just love playing on the road.”
You cannot stop EMVPIID. pic.twitter.com/vgRMu3ig6M
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 30, 2021
He is averaging 30.6 points on 67% shooting, including 55% on 3-pointers after making 3-of-4 in Game 3.
“It was one-on-one, and I wanted to take advantage of it. I guess that’s on them to make that choice,” Embiid said. “It’s hard to stop me if you send a double-team or not.”
“Joel was special, special tonight,” 76ers coach Doc Rivers said.
The 76ers players played great in the game.
Besides Joel Embiid, all the other starters finished the game in double-figures.
Tobias Harris dropped 20 points and 13 rebounds double-double along with 5 assists.
While Danny Green finished with 15 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists.
Seth Curry also dropped 15 points with 6 assists playing 27 minutes.
Ben Simmons contributed 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists.
The 76ers shot 58.6% from the field, including 51.5% from the 3-point range.
“When you shoot the ball that well, you’re going to win a lot of games,” coach Doc Rivers said. “We had one of those nights where everything fell for us.”
On the other hand, Russell Westbrook led the Wizards, scoring 26 points, 23 rebounds, and 10 assists triple-double.
He dropped the triple-double despite playing through a sprained right ankle.
As a result, he now tied with Jason Kidd for third all-time in playoff triple-doubles.
Westbrook played almost 21 minutes in the first half and over 34 total before heading to the locker room late in the blowout.
“I kind of knew after last game he was going to play,” Beal said. “Even if it was for two minutes, he was going to play.”
Meanwhile, Bradley Beal recovering from a strained left hamstring dropped 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Rui Hachimura dropped 10 points and 5 rebounds.
Daniel Gafford led the Wizards bench, scoring 16 points with 6 rebounds.
Now, the 76ers faced off the Wizards for Game 4 on Monday and aim to have a series sweep.
“That would be incredible,” Ben Simmons said. “We want to do that. Obviously, we want to get the sweep so we can get some rest, but they’re a tough team.”
