Sixers Dominate Wizards in Game 3 Setting up a Potential First-Round Sweep

After tipping off the first round of the playoff last Sunday, the Philadelphia 76ers wasted no time getting out in front of the eighth-seeded Washington Wizards. In Game 1, the Wizards put up a good fight in South Philly, but the Sixers shook the rust after having a week off and stole a win to open the series.

In Game 2, the Sixers looked even better as they dominated the Wizards in the first three-quarters of the game before allowing starters to rest for the remainder of the night. With a 2-0 lead in the series, the Sixers then hit the road as they were set to play at the Capital One Arena in D.C. for the next two matchups.

Although the Sixers were on the road Saturday night, Philly fans swarmed the Wizards' court, giving the 76ers a slight competitive edge as it somewhat felt at home. However, it was clear that Washington had the home-court advantage. So, the Sixers still had to silence the crowd that was cheering against them.

It didn't take long for the 76ers to figure out how to do that. Philly's starting five worked great as a collective on Saturday. As they drained over 50-percent of their shots out of the gate, the Sixers got off to a 36-28 lead through one quarter. 

76ers head coach Doc Rivers got confident in his team as he started rolling out an all-bench lineup early on. As the Wizards started to climb back a bit, Rivers started rolling out the starters once again, and Sixers center Joel Embiid started dominating.

16 second-quarter points allowed Embiid to collect a career-high first-half point total in the playoffs with 25 points in just 17 minutes. As 76ers veteran guard Danny Green also collected 15 points, the Sixers went into halftime with a comfortable 72-58 lead. 

When the second half rolled around, the Sixers didn't take their foot off the gas. After firing off for nearly 40 points in the third quarter, the Sixers formed a 23-point lead before heading into the final quarter of Game 3. At that point, the Sixers could once again comfortably start rolling out reserves as the starters got the job done early.

Aside from Tobias Harris' five-minute shift in the fourth, the Sixers' entire starting lineup got the rest of the night off. When the game concluded, the Sixers collected their third-straight postseason win with a 132-103 victory.

Now, Washington faces an elimination game on Monday night. A loss for the Sixers would force a Game 5 in Philly. A single win would knock the Wizards out, ending their season, while the 76ers would advance to the second round.