Toronto’s Fred VanVleet, right, and Precious Achiuwa watch Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid’s winning 3-pointer in overtime of Game 3 of a first-round playoff series on Wednesday in Toronto. Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP
TORONTO — Joel Embiid made a 3-pointer with 0.8 seconds left in overtime to give the Philadelphia 76ers a 104-101 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night and a 3-0 lead in their first-round series.
After 76ers Coach Doc Rivers called timeout to save the possession as the shot clock was running down, Embiid took an inbounds pass from Danny Green and hit a turnaround shot from near the sideline before running back to his bench in celebration.
Toronto’s OG Anunoby couldn’t get a shot off before the buzzer.
Embiid had 33 points and 13 rebounds, helping the 76ers rally from a 17-point deficit. James Harden had 19 points and 10 assists before fouling out in the closing seconds of regulation.
Tyrese Maxey scored 19 points and Tobias Harris had 11 points and 12 rebounds for the Sixers, who can wrap up the series in Game 4 on Saturday.
Anunoby scored 26 points, Gary Trent Jr. had a playoff-high 24, and Precious Achiuwa had 20 for the Raptors.
Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet each had 12 points. VanVleet shot 3 for 13, going 2 for 10 from 3-point range.
Philadelphia never held a lead in regulation, finally grabbing a 99-97 edge on Maxey’s shot with 3:27 left in overtime.
Anunoby’s 3 briefly put Toronto back on top, but Embiid’s basket with 2:36 left made it 101-100 for the Sixers.
Embiid fouled Anunoby with 26 seconds left, and the Toronto forward made the first but missed the second, knotting it at 101-all.
Raptors rookie Scottie Barnes sat for the second straight game because of the sprained left ankle that knocked him out of Game 1. Raptors Coach Nick Nurse said Barnes is making progress and could return Saturday.
The 76ers, who shot at least 30 free throws in each of the first two games of the series, went 15 for 20 from the line in Game 3, with Embiid making 6 of 9 attempts.
Trent was limited to 10 minutes of action in Game 2 because of illness, and didn’t play in the second half Monday. He played 45 minutes Wednesday, shooting 9 for 19.
Ahead 75-74 through three quarters, Toronto held a 95-90 lead on Achiuwa’s basket with 2:03 left.
Maxey scored to make it a three-point game, and Anunoby was called for goaltending on Harden’s shot with 1:14 left, cutting it to 95-94. After missing at one end, VanVleet fouled Harden with 49 seconds to play, but the Sixers’ guard missed his first shot before tying it 95-all with his second.
Harden fouled out with 27 seconds left, sending Achiuwa to the line, but the Toronto forward missed both shots.
Philadelphia had two chances to win it in regulation, but Embiid missed a 3 and Harris couldn’t convert after grabbing the rebound.
The 76ers played without guard Matisse Thybulle. Philadelphia’s defensive specialist is not fully vaccinated against COVID-19, making him ineligible to cross the Canadian border. Thybulle also missed an April 7 regular-season loss to the Raptors.
NOTES
SUNS: All-Star guard Devin Booker has a right hamstring strain, clouding his status for the remainder of the team’s first-round playoff series against the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Suns said Booker’s MRI on Wednesday confirmed a “mild” hamstring strain. Booker was hurt in Tuesday’s Game 2 loss during the third quarter when he tried to defend a New Orleans shot on a fast break. The 25-year-old was sprinting downcourt, jumped and then grabbed at his right hamstring after he landed.
The Pelicans won the game 125-114 to even the series at 1.
Game 3 is on Friday in New Orleans.
The top-seeded Suns are trying to make it back to the NBA finals after losing to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games last season. They faced adversity during that run as well: All-Star guard Chris Paul missed time with a shoulder injury and COVID-19 during the playoffs.
Booker is the team’s leading scorer, averaging nearly 27 points per game during the regular season. He had 31 points – all in the first half – when he left Tuesday’s game against the Pelicans with the hamstring injury.
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