PHILADELPHIA (AFP) – Joel Embiid finished with 33 points as the Philadelphia 76ers routed the Toronto Raptors, 116-95, on Thursday to seize a 2-1 lead in their NBA second round playoff series.
Embiid also had 10 rebounds and five blocked shots for his 12th double-double in 15 career playoff games.
“I was trying not to force anything and if I didn’t have it I just moved it to my teammates,” Embiid said. “We wanted to put our foot down in the fourth and we did that by making stops.”
Jimmy Butler added 22 points, nine assists and nine rebounds while JJ Redick delivered 15 points for the Sixers, who have won two straight after a gritty 94-89 victory in game two three nights ago.
Game four will be played in Philadelphia on Sunday.
Kawhi Leonard paced the Raptors’ attack with 33 points while Pascal Siakam added 20.
Leonard has scored at least 30 points in five of Toronto’s eight playoff games this season, including all three games against Philadelphia.
Philadelphia led 64-53 at halftime thanks in large part to Embiid’s 18 points. The Sixers also shot eight of 14 from three-point range in the opening half.
Leonard powered the Raptors with 17 points in the first half.
Leonard continued his fine play in the third quarter with another 14 points to keep Toronto within eight (89-81) heading into the fourth.
Embiid drained his third three-pointer and the 76ers charged to a 94-82 lead early in the fourth.
Butler upped his scoring prowess with a couple of baskets and the lead was stretched to 100-82 with nine minutes left in the fourth.
Butler then slammed home a dunk, got fouled and put the Sixers ahead 108-84 with 5:51 left.
The Raptors missed 11 of their first 12 shots in the fourth.
Celtics president Ainge suffers mild heart attack
In New York, Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge has suffered a mild heart attack but is expected to make a full recovery, the NBA club announced Thursday.
Ainge, 60, suffered the heart attack on Tuesday in Milwaukee, the same night the Celtics lost, 123-102, to the Bucks to leave their Eastern Conference second-round best-of-seven playoff series level at 1-1 entering game three Friday at Boston.
“He received immediate medical attention and is expected to make a full recovery. He will return to Boston shortly,” the Celtics said in a statement.
GLOBAL CAMP IN MONACO
In New York, this year’s NBA Global Camp, a showcase of top global talents hoping to be selected in next month’s NBA Draft, will be staged in Monaco, the league announced Thursday.
The event will take place May 30-June 2 at Stade Louis II in Monaco and include games, shooting drills plus strength and agility tests under direction from NBA personnel as well as medical evaluations and team interview sessions.
