Joel Embiid's Clutch Shot Seals Sixers' Comeback Victory

After opening up their first-round playoff series against the Toronto Raptors last weekend with a blowout victory in Game 1, the Philadelphia 76ers kept the momentum going this week on Monday night.

With two-straight double-digit victories in South Philly, the Sixers knew that the road didn't get any easier moving forward. On Wednesday night, the Sixers paid a visit to Toronto to kick off a two-game road stand.

From the jump, the Raptors played like a team that had something to prove. They fired off for 29 points right out of the gate and held the Sixers to just 19 in the first quarter of action. While the Sixers bounced back with high-percentage shooting in the second quarter, they couldn't get within single digits before halftime.

Once leading by as many as 17 points in the first half, the Raptors entered the second half with a ten-point lead. However, Sixers' big man Joel Embiid flashed his MVP-caliber dominance to kick off the third quarter with a bang.

Playing every minute in the third quarter, Embiid knocked down six of his nine shots from the field. He also collected five points from the free-throw line to produce 18 of Philadelphia's 28 points as they were well within reach of a comeback.

Going into the final quarter of the outing, the Sixers trailed just one point. As they attempted to complete their comeback, the Sixers lost one of their key players in the fourth quarter. James Harden, who collected four fouls in the fourth quarter alone, fouled out after playing for 38 minutes.

In the final minutes of regulation, the Sixers had a solid collective effort as they outscored the Raptors 21-20. While the Sixers had a chance to put the game away in regulation, a failed final play sent the game into overtime.

An extra period almost wasn't enough, either. As the game reached the final seconds, the Sixers and the Raptors were both tied at 101.

Coming out of a timeout, Joel Embiid caught the inbound pass with just 0.9 seconds left on the shot clock. As the superstar big man let a shot rip right away, he nailed a tough three-pointer, which put the Sixers up by three points.

EMBIID FOR THREE WITH 0.7 LEFT IN OT 😱 pic.twitter.com/mGayMHD6W1
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 21, 2022

With less than one second left in the game, the Raptors didn't have enough time to execute a play successfully. Therefore, the Sixers' comeback was complete as they garnered a 104-101 victory, picking up their third-straight win over Toronto.

Both teams will get the next two days off to rest up and prepare for Game 4, which will take place on Saturday afternoon in Toronto. A Raptors win would allow Toronto to live to see another day in the playoffs. A victory for the road team would send the Sixers home a clean sweep victory in the first round.

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