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Joel Embiid Makes History in Sixers’ Game 3 Win vs. Knicks

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid joins Nikola Jokic with a historical stat line against the Knicks.
Justin Grasso|
Apr 22, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) look up court
Apr 22, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) look up court | Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

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New York KnicksPhiladelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers are on the board with a victory in the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

Entering the Game 3 matchup at home against the New York Knicks, Joel Embiid and the Sixers were in a two-game hole. Considering the history of teams that fall into an 0-3 deficit, the Sixers understood that Thursday’s game is a must-win.

Joel Embiid did everything in his power to make sure the Sixers did just that.

It was a historical night for the 76ers’ big man. He started the first half out efficiently. Taking nine shots from the field, Embiid hit on five of his field goal attempts and went 7-8 from the charity stripe. By the end of the first half, Embiid had 17 points as the Sixers trailed 58-55.

In the second half, Embiid dominated. He knocked down 80 percent of his shots from the field, going 5-5 from beyond the arc. He also knocked down all but one of his 13 free throws. Embiid scored 33 points in 19 minutes of action and became the second center in NBA history to achieve a stat line of 40-plus points and five-plus threes.

Embiid joins Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic in that company.

On Thursday, Embiid notched a career-high in scoring, putting up 50 points in 40 minutes. He produced efficiently from the charity stripe and the field.

In addition to his scoring, Embiid produced eight rebounds, four assists, and one block. He helped the Sixers defeat the Knicks 125-114, putting them on the board with their first win of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

The Sixers and the Knicks will get the next two days off to rest and recover. They’ll return to the floor on Sunday afternoon for a Game 4 battle in South Philly. Then, the series will head back to New York on Tuesday for Game 5.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s Philadelphia 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia Threads: @JGrassoMedia

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