Joel Embiid and the 76ers were unable to finish the job Saturday afternoon and there could be reason for some concern with the Sixers’ star center going forward.
The Raptors closed the gap on the Sixers to 3-1 with a 110-102 victory in Game 4 of their first-round NBA playoff series at Scotiabank Arena. No team in league history has overcome a 3-0 postseason deficit.
The Sixers were trying to complete their first best-of-seven sweep since dispatching the Bucks 4-0 in the 1985 second round, which was 37 years ago.
The winner of the Sixers-Raptors series faces the Heat-Hawks victor. Miami goes into Sunday night’s Game 4 in Atlanta with a 2-1 lead. A win in Game 5 on Monday night (8) would give the Sixers some time off prior to beginning the Eastern Conference semifinals.
“To be able to finish it in front of our home fans is a great opportunity,” said second-year guard Tyrese Maxey.
Embiid’s sprained right thumb appeared to bother him much more in Game 4 than it did during the Sixers’ come-from-behind victory Wednesday in which Embiid hit the game-winning 3-pointer in the final second of overtime.
Embiid grimaced and held the thumb when he went to the ground after being fouled by Rookie of the Year recipient Scottie Barnes, who missed Games 2 and 3 with a sprained ankle, midway through the first quarter and had the thumb hit again in the final minute of the second period. He missed all five of his first-period shots, had one point at the end of the opening quarter and didn’t make his first basket until midway through the second period.
Just as in Game 3, Embiid got better as the game progressed, though he wasn’t nearly as dominant after intermission Saturday. He finished with 21 points on 7-for-16 shooting from the field, to go along with eight rebounds and five turnovers.
“He got good shots (and) struggled with some of his passes,” said Sixers coach Doc Rivers. “It’s going to be something he’s going to have to deal with in the playoffs from here on.”
Embiid wore a soft cast on his sprained right thumb in Game 4, at Friday’s practice and during the second half of Game 3. The thumb had been bothering him late in the season, then he aggravated it on a dunk Wednesday night. Embiid was listed as “available” on the Game 4 injury report.
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The Athletic reported Friday that “there is fear Embiid has a torn ligament in his right thumb” and Yahoo! Sports said Saturday that Embiid would get an MRI when the Sixers return to Philadelphia.
During his pregame media availability, Rivers said there is concern about Embiid’s thumb but his understanding is it can’t get worse by Embiid playing. It essentially comes down to how Embiid manages the pain.
“The thumb is a concern,” Maxey said. “If he’s out there playing, he’s going to give his all. We appreciate that.”
When asked pregame Saturday if Embiid has a torn ligament, Rivers replied, “We feel like it’s not a great injury. I’m just going to leave it at that.”
The Raptors didn’t start off Saturday as well as they did in Game 3, when they were the aggressors and led by as many as 17 points in the second period. But, behind Gary Trent Jr. and ex-Sixer Thaddeus Young, Toronto pulled ahead by 12 midway through the second quarter in Game 4 before the Sixers closed to within five points at the half.
Philadelphia trailed by three heading into the fourth period and 14 points with 3:30 remaining.
With top wing defender Matisse Thybulle unable to play in Toronto because he’s not fully vaccinated, Rivers shortened his rotation to eight guys for the second straight game.
Raptors all-star guard Fred VanVleet suffered a left hip strain with four minutes left in the second quarter and was unable to return. Pascal Siakam paced Toronto with 34 points.
“I just didn’t think we deserved to win,” Rivers said. “… I just thought they played harder, faster, more physical.”
Tom Moore: tmoore@couriertimes; @TomMoorePhilly
