Joel Embiid ratings 52 to assistance 76ers beat Celtics, enhance MVP case

Joel Embiid reinforced his MVP quote with 52 points and 13 rebounds, and the NBA scoring leader brought the Philadelphia 76ers to a 103-101 win over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night.

In a videogame with a playoff ambiance, this one came down to the end, as Jayson Tatum’s connecting jumper fell brief at the horn.

P.J. Tucker provided Embiid and the Sixers the aid they required when he made 3 late 3-tips that turned a one-point deficit into a 101-95 lead. Derrick White buried a 3 with 2 seconds left that pulled Boston to 103-101 and hushed a crowd that had simply wailed “MVP! MVP!” chants. Embiid was whistled for an offensive nasty, however the Celtics couldn’t capitalize.

The 76ers prevented a season sweep versus the Celtics and won for the veryfirst time in 4 videogames. They can thank the All-Star center that stressed the triumph with a vicious two-handed slam late in the videogame that sentout the crowd into a craze.

Embiid made 20 of 25 shots from the flooring and 12 of 13 totallyfree tosses en path to his ninth videogame of the season with at least 40 points and 10 rebounds. Embiid scored 50 points for the 3rd time this season.

James Harden had 20 points and 10 helps.

White scored 26 points for the Celtics and Tatum had19 The Celtics fell to 9-4 this season without Jaylen Brown, the group’s second-leading scorer who got the night off with a back injury.

Embiid reacted to the chants that drizzled down on him by playing early like a one-person program. Embiid got the 50-point effort going from the dive and made 6-of-7 from the flooring and 6-of-7 from the complimentary toss line for 18 points in the veryfirst quarter. The rest of the group missedouton 8-of-12 shots and did not effort a complimentary toss.

As the season winds down, the verysame concerns loom for the Sixers simply as they did at the start of the season: Can Embiid and Harden stay healthy in the playoffs? Both are fighting nagging injuries; Embiid, his right calf, and Harden, a aching left Achilles tendon. The 2nd, maybe more pushing one: Who will action up and signupwith Embiid and Harden as constant playoff entertainers?

Without the assistance required from Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris and some production off the bench, the Sixers might be doomed to yet another 50-win, second-round exit this season. The Sixers sanctuary’t advanced to the Eastern Conference finals giventhat 2001 and another early flameout this season might lead to an offseason of turmoil in Philly.

Not if Embiid can aid it.

The Celtics are attempting to wrest the No. 1 seed in the East from Milwaukee while the 76ers are quite much locked in for the 3rd seed.

Reporting by The Associated Press.