Joel Embiid’s Jumper Helps 76ers Complete Comeback vs. Blazers

The Philadelphia 76ers trailed by as many as 18 points in the second half of Friday night’s matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers. Coming off of a tough road stretch that involved five games in seven days, the Sixers looked fatigued.

But as we’ve seen many times throughout the season, the Sixers have proven they shouldn’t be counted out until the clock runs out.

Friday’s game was just another example. Going into the fourth quarter, the Sixers trailed 96-85. Outscoring the Blazers by double-digits in the final quarter, the Sixers put themselves in a position to seal a comeback victory. 

With 20 seconds left in the game, Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey snatched a steal off of a bad pass from Damian Lillard. As the Sixers struggled to get an ideal look on offense, Doc Rivers called a timeout so his team could re-group and draw up a plan.

James Harden inbounded the ball to Embiid, who was guarded by Jusuf Nurikic. When the big man attacked the paint, he drew a double team. By spinning and fading, Embiid got just enough space to get a shot off in the final second.

“I got the ball at the top of the key and had enough space to really get whatever I wanted,” Embiid explained after the game. “As I dribbled, Dame kind of showed some help, so I had to spin back in. Honestly, I just wanted to get to my spot, which is that free throw area, and once I got there, I just knew I had to make it.”

While it was a tough shot for the six-time All-Star to make, Embiid has made a living with his mid-range jumper over the last few seasons. On Friday night, he knocked down six of his 13 makes from the field in the same area. 

“That’s the perfect spot, honestly, especially from my previous years,” Embiid explained. “I had a couple of opportunities for game winners and stuff. We kept trying to post. Like I said, it’s easy to double when there’s not enough space, but when you get in those positions where you have the nail at the top of the key, the court is wide open because, most of the time, guys don’t want to give up threes. It’s been working out pretty well.”

Embiid finished the night with 39 points, draining 13 of his 20 field goal attempts. His nine points in the fourth quarter helped the Sixers outscore Portland 35-23. 

His final bucket iced the game and helped the Sixers climb back from their 21-point deficit and grab their first lead of the night in the final second of the matchup. With an unsuccessful answer from Portland, the Sixers scooped up their 44th win of the year over the Blazers.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.