The Philadelphia 76ers have taken a 3-2 lead in their Eastern Conference Semifinals series against the Boston Celtics after Joel Embiid scored 33 points in a 115-103 win. The 76ers were able to take advantage of the Celtics’ lack of depth, as Embiid was able to dominate the paint and lead the team to victory.
Embiid was unstoppable in the game, shooting 11-of-19 from the field and 11-of-13 from the free throw line. He also added nine rebounds, four assists, and two blocks in the win. Embiid was able to take advantage of the Celtics’ lack of size and strength in the paint, as he was able to get easy buckets and draw fouls.
The 76ers were also able to get contributions from other players, as Jimmy Butler had 21 points and Ben Simmons had 19 points and nine assists. Tobias Harris added 17 points and nine rebounds as well. The 76ers were able to take advantage of their depth and balance, as they had five players score in double figures.
The Celtics were led by Kyrie Irving, who had 27 points and seven assists. Jayson Tatum added 22 points, but the Celtics were unable to get enough help from their bench players. The Celtics were outscored by the 76ers’ bench 40-20, which was a major factor in the game.
The 76ers now have a 3-2 lead in the series, and they will look to close it out in Game 6 on Thursday night. If they can get another big performance from Embiid, they should be able to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics will need to find a way to slow down Embiid and get more production from their bench if they want to extend the series.
