Recreation 3 between the Knicks and Sixers was bodily, chippy, frenetic and intense.
And when the ultimate second fell off the clock, Philadelphia had avoided falling into a deeper hole.
The Sixers rode an enormous third quarter to a 125-114 victory over the Knicks Thursday evening at Wells Fargo Middle in Philadelphia to chop the Knicks’ sequence result in 2-1.
The sport turned within the third quarter when the Sixers outscored the Knicks 43-27 and took a 13-point lead by the point the interval ended.
The Knicks bought inside eight with 4 minutes to go within the fourth quarter however could not utterly shut the hole.
Recreation 4 can be Sunday at Wells Fargo Middle at 1 p.m. (ABC/MSG Community).
Embiid, who obtained villain remedy throughout the first two video games of the sequence at Madison Sq. Backyard, had an enormous efficiency – and drew the ire of Knicks followers as soon as once more.
The reigning Most Helpful Participant exploded for 50 factors, a profession playoff excessive, on 13-of-19 taking pictures, together with 5-of-7 from past the arc.
Embiid scored 18 of his factors in that large third quarter.
The middle misplaced his composure within the first quarter and was jawing on the Knicks earlier than tempers cooled. However he then bought known as for a flagrant 1 foul after he fell to the court docket whereas attempting to protect OG Anunoby, who fed the ball to Mitchell Robinson for a dunk.
Whereas on the bottom, Embiid grabbed Robinson’s leg and pulled him down.
The boos and chants are solely going get louder when the sequence goes again to The Backyard for Recreation 5.
Brunson completed with 39 factors on 13-of-27 taking pictures to go together with 13 assists in an all-around bounce-back efficiency.
It was encouraging for the Knicks contemplating the way in which Brunson’s first two video games had gone, the place he shot a mixed 16-of-55 and averaged 23 factors.
Brunson missed some beauty, however the Sixers have thrown every thing at him defensively.
The Knicks introduced early within the third quarter that Robinson, who had performed so effectively within the first two video games of the sequence, particularly on the defensive finish, was out for the remainder of the sport with a left ankle sprain that he suffered late within the first half.
That’s the identical ankle that Robinson had surgically repaired again in December.
In order that’s going to linger as a priority for the Knicks the rest of the sequence.