By: Kylan Watson

After losing a heartbreaker to the New York Knicks in game two. The Sixers were back at it facing the Knicks on their home floor.  Being back in Philly clearly unlocked their offense. They used a 19-point third quarter explosion from Joel Embiid to put New York to bed. Beating them 125-114 and now being down two-games-to-one with game four on Sunday.

The Sixers started this game off hot. They found their offensive rhythm and put New York on their heels early in the game. Joel Embiid (50 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and hit five/seven three-pointers) and Tyrese Maxey (25 points) combined for 75 of Philly’s 125 points. Embiid imposed his will throughout this game. He picked up a flagrant foul in a physical first five minutes of the game. However, he calmed down and did not let the physicality get to him. Especially, in the third quarter he put the team on his back. Scoring 19 of his 50 points in that quarter and that really was the difference in this game. Embiid (Career high and first 50 point performance since Allen Iverson,) started finding his range from deep and the flood gates opened for Philly. In one sequence he hit back-to-back three-pointers to put his team up 12 and that was it for the Knicks. They tried to muck up the game and Philly responded every time.

New York to their credit continued to fight throughout this game. Despite the scoring explosion from Embiid and Maxey they still had a three-point lead heading into half-time. Jalen Brunson finally had his best scoring night of this series. He was decisive and scored 39 points in this game and got a lot of fouls on his defenders. The Sixers were finally able to slow him down by putting Nicolas Batum on him and his length did just enough to frustrate him in the fourth quarter. The Sixers also finally forced the Knicks to play half-court basketball and they just could not do it tonight. They are not a good half-court team and they made a couple of bad turnovers and that ended any comeback attempt they had.

Now with another two days to prepare for each other before game four on Sunday afternoon. The Sixers will need to continue to play tight perimeter defense without fouling, and limit the Knicks to one possession on the offensive end. Like they did tonight, they forced the Knicks to make tough shots and did not put them at the foul line (Held New York to one basket in the last four minutes of the fourth quarter). Additionally, Cam Payne (11 points)  needs to play as many minutes as possible. He really was a spark plug in this game and if he is playing as aggressively as he did tonight. It unlocks the second unit for the Sixers, until Buddy Hield finds his stroke again he should have a very short leash. If the Sixers want to win on Sunday winning the non-Embiid minutes becomes important and they need as many scoring threats on the floor as possible. If the Sixers can implement these things into their game four gameplan. They can win on Sunday and tie this series as it shifts back to New York.

On Cam Payne’s impact, “Energy costs nothing. I was pumping the crowd up tonight. We as humans, we feed off energy. We feed off confidence. Bench guys – that’s our job,” said Payne.