3 observations after Embiid explodes for 50 points, lights up Knicks in Game 3 win

Upon the third review of the first eight minutes, Embiid was assessed a Flagrant 1, escaping without a Flagrant 2 (an automatic ejection) for “unnecessary and excessive contact.”

Aiming to match the Knicks’ physicality and refusing to get pushed around is fine, but that sort of play is much too reckless from the Sixers’ best player. 

Payne ready for his moment

Though De’Anthony Melton was available Thursday night, he did not play. Cameron Payne ended up being the Sixers guard to make a momentum-flipping impact early in the second quarter.

After Bojan Bogdanovic hit a three to give the Knicks a 32-27 edge, Payne drove and kicked to Nicolas Batum for a corner triple. Payne then fired in back-to-back long-range jumpers of his own. 

He’d also effectively jumped right into the action during the Sixers’ play-in tournament win over the Heat.

“My family’s always there, so I’m going to be locked in,” Payne said last week. “At any point in time, I know I could go out there and have an impact, help the team win. I bounce around all the time. If y’all see me bouncing around during timeouts, that’s me staying ready.” 

Payne, who’d played three minutes in Game 1 and zero in Game 2, tallied eight key second-quarter points for the Sixers. In contrast, Buddy Hield had another quiet night. The player the Sixers had viewed as their main trade deadline acquisition went scoreless and played only four first-half minutes.

Fouls were again in the spotlight for the back half of the second quarter. Embiid drew Hartenstein’s third personal with 9:10 to go in the second period, which was especially important because Robinson’s movement was a major problem. 

Robinson, who’d missed 50 games this regular season with a left ankle injury, was listed as questionable going into Game 3 with a “left ankle injury management” designation. Every trip he made up and down the court was seriously labored. When Robinson got his third foul late in the second quarter, Precious Achiuwa finally received his first minutes of the series. The Knicks later ruled Robinson out with a sprained left ankle.

Embiid picked up his third foul at the 6:27 mark of the second for charging into Robinson. Sixers head coach Nick Nurse kept his superstar center in and Embiid was responsible about avoiding any further foul trouble. 

Embiid and the Sixers catch fire

The Knicks took a five-point lead early in the third quarter largely because Brunson had by far his best outing of the series after going 16 for 55 from the floor over Games 1 and 2.

On the night he lifted his Most Improved Player award, the Sixers’ All-Star guard started slowly. Maxey played a subpar first half, shooting just 3 for 10 from the field. He was sharp on both ends of the court to open the third quarter, though. Maxey featured in a 9-2 Sixers run with a steal and slam, as well as a step-back three. 

Although New York briefly stabilized following a timeout, Maxey wasn’t done cooking. With immense, fully deserved confidence, Maxey drained a deep three to give the Sixers a 71-66 lead. 

Embiid then joined the long-range shooting party, sinking the jumpers he’d narrowly missed in Games 1 and 2. The 7-footer knocked down three-pointers on three consecutive Sixers possessions. Maxey also did poised, high-quality work handling the Knicks’ blitzes during that stretch. He found Lowry open for a corner three that stretched the Sixers’ advantage to double digits. 

The lights-out shooting from the Sixers’ stars was contagious. Oubre and Payne drilled jumpers late in the third and Embiid fittingly capped the quarter’s scoring with yet another long-distance shot. 

Incredibly, the Sixers shot 17 for 22 from the field and 9 for 12 behind the arc in the third period. Individually, Embiid was 5 for 5 from three-point range after halftime.

The Sixers’ 13-point lead was down to nine by the time he re-entered in the fourth quarter. Embiid’s presence ensured that everything finished up just fine.

Ten seconds after he checked in, Embiid had Hartenstein off to the bench with his fifth foul. The seven-time All-Star reached his playoff career high with a tightly guarded three.

Even with Embiid playing through Bell’s palsy and on a bothersome left knee, Game 3 was a reminder that he’s a powerful, well-rounded future Hall of Famer with the tools to beat whatever a defense throws at him.

The Sixers still trail in this series and have a difficult road ahead, but Embiid sometimes makes anything feel possible.