Imperial Joel Embiid, Milwaukee Bucks surprised at home, Kyrie Irving transparent… Wednesday’s three-point recap

Joel Embiid carried the Philadelphia 76ers to victory on Wednesday, April 20, in a thrilling finale. The Milwaukee Bucks were surprised at home, losing to Chicago. Finally the Nets did not shine, with in particular a transparent Kyrie Irving. Here is the recap of the night.

The match: the Milwaukee Bucks surprised at home

Defending champion Milwaukee was surprised at home by Chicago (110-114), which equalized with a victory everywhere in the series. The Bulls dominated this meeting head and shoulders thanks to a dazzling DeMar DeRozan, author of 41 points, his record in the playoffs (at 16/31 in the shoot). Inside Nikola Vucevic added 24 points and 13 rebounds. « We were united tonight », explained DeRozan in a press conference. « We talked to each other man to man, everyone had to assert themselves. And we took up this challenge », he added.

On the Bucks side, Greek Giannis Antetokounmpo was omnipresent (33 points, 18 rebounds, 9 assists) but the 2019 and 2020 MVP lost two of his teammates to injury during the game. Interior Bobby Portis first came out at the end of the first quarter after a blow to the eye, before Khris Middleton (18 points) had to return to the locker room eight minutes from the end due to a knee pain. Milwaukee will travel to the United Center in Chicago on Thursday for Game 3.

The player: Joel Embiid gives victory to Philadelphia on the wire

He was the man of the evening. Joel Embiid offered to the Philadelphia 76ers victory (101-104) in the final seconds after a high-flying game against the Toronto Raptors. If the battle was tough until the last moment, Joel Embiid was once again excellent (33 points, 13 rebounds). The All-Star pivot is enjoying this season and is running at 37% at 3 points.

After losing the ball two seconds from time at 101-101, Embiid then scored a winning shot on the throw-in to give the victory to his team, their third victory in a row in this series of the first round of the playoffs. « It’s probably the most important shot of my career but the job is not done. Another victory. We have to come back here and try to beat them again », said the Cameroonian interior.

JOEL WINS IT FOR THE SIXERS FROM DEEP IN OT!#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel pic.twitter.com/gYFaKf6GY9

— NBA (@NBA) April 21, 2022

The stat: Kyrie Irving 10 points and then walks away

The evening was difficult for Brooklyn. The Nets lost again on the Boston floor on Wednesday (114-107), for the second game of this first round of the playoffs. Defeated by one point on Sunday (115-114), Brooklyn started the game well with a 9-0 entry and was up to 17 points ahead in the second quarter.

But the Celtics, pushed by their audience, gradually picked up the score. Inside Daniel Theis (15 points in total) first equalized at 79-79 three minutes from the end of the 3rd quarter, before his team accelerated in the 4th under the impetus of Jayson Tatum (19 points , 10 assists) and Jaylen Brown (22 points, 6 assists). Especially in front, Kyrie Irving was transparent with only 10 points and little success in shooting (4/13), just like Kevin Durant (4/17), who also lost 6 balls despite his 27 points. « They really came back in the second half… And they took some tough shots at the end of the game, » reacted Irving. The Nets will absolutely have to catch up at home on Saturday in Game 3.