The PHILADELPHIA 76ers, supported by 23 points scored by NBA MVP Joel Embiid, rallied to beat the Miami Heat 105-104, Thursday (18/4) WIB, to win a ticket to the first round of the NBA playoffs once morest the New York Knicks.
Embiid, who has yet to return to peak form following being sidelined for two months due to knee surgery, went berserk in the second half as the Sixers, who trailed by 13 points in the third quarter of the NBA play-in game, rallied.
The center scored 13 points in the second half, including a three-pointer with 2:33 remaining.
Both teams took turns leading until Embiid provided an assist to Kelly Oubre Jr. who managed to score a point and hit a free throw to put the Sixers ahead with 36 seconds left in the game.
Sixers reserve Nicolas Batum scored 17 of his 20 points in the second half and blocked Tyler Herro’s attempt with 26.2 seconds remaining.
The victory made the Sixers the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference and will face the second seed Knicks in Game 1 of the first round of the NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden, Sunday (21/4) WIB.
The Heat, who also reached the NBA finals last season from the play-in round, can still advance to the NBA post-season.
On Saturday (20/4), the Heat will face the winner of the play-in match between the Chicago Bulls and the Atlanta Hawks, with the winner of that match facing the first seed in the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics. (AFP/Z-1)
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