NEW YORK: Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid returned from injury to score a game-high 31 points and grab 16 rebounds, powering the 76ers to a 112-108 NBA playoff victory at Brooklyn on Saturday.
Despite a third-quarter incident that saw two players ejected, the 76ers seized a 3-1 lead in the first-round series against the Nets and could advance in the Eastern Conference best-of-seven matchup with a home victory Tuesday.
In the other Eastern Conference game, Khris Middleton finished with 20 points and nine rebounds as the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks put the Detroit Pistons on the brink of elimination with a 119-103 win. The victory give the Bucks a 3-0 lead and they can wrap up the series with a win on the road in the Motor City on Monday.
Philadelphia, down by 10 points early in the third quarter, battled back most of the second half before taking the lead on a run of eight points by Embiid, who missed game three with a sore left knee.
A slam dunk and layup by Embiid gave the 76ers their first late lead at 102-101 but, after an exchange of layups and three-pointers as well as turnovers, fell behind 108-107 on a basket by Brooklyn’s Joe Harris with 25 seconds remaining.
On the next 76er possession, Embiid flipped the last of his seven assists to Mike Scott, whose corner three-pointer put Philadelphia ahead to stay 110-108 with 19 seconds remaining.
Australian Ben Simmons — who added 15 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the 76ers — stole the ball from Brooklyn’s Jarett Allen and Tobias Harris sank two free throws for the last of his 24 points to clinch the triumph.
Caris LeVert led the Nets with 25 points while Brooklyn had 21 points each from Allen and D’Angelo Russell.
Cameroon star center Embiid was issued a flagrant foul in touching off an altercation 4:18 into the third quarter that saw Philadelphia’s Jimmy Butler Brooklyn’s Jared Dudley ejected. Embiid, who had elbowed Allen in the face in game two, was whistled for a hard foul on Allen that prompted Dudley to rush at Embiid, taking down the Sixers big man. Butler swung his left arm at Dudley, who wound up in the front row seats with Simmons at one stage, to earn his ejection.
In Detroit, Brook Lopez tallied 19 points and had seven rebounds and five blocked shots and Eric Bledsoe scored 19 points for the Bucks.
Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered 14 points and 10 rebounds for his third straight double-double in the series and Nikola Mirotic chipped in 12 points.
Detroit’s hobbled star Blake Griffin had 27 points in 31 minutes after he missed the first two games of the series with a sore knee.
Griffin was cleared with his leg heavily wrapped but it didn’t change the outcome.
The Pistons have now lost 13 straight playoff games dating back to 2008. In the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets — led by game highs of 29 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists from Serbian playmaker Nikola Jokic — pulled level with San Antonio at 2-2 in their opening series with a 117-103 road triumph over the Spurs.
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Embiid returns to help 76ers beat Nets for 3-1 lead
Embiid returns to help 76ers beat Nets for 3-1 lead
- The 76ers seized a 3-1 lead in the first-round series against the Nets
Iva Jovic received tips from Novak Djokovic, but those couldn’t help her against Sabalenka
- They helped until Tuesday when top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka defeated the 18-year-old American 6-3, 6-0 to end her run in Melbourne
- Predicted rankings published by the WTA showed her climbing to No. 20 — her highest spot
Iva Jovic has received playing tips throughout the Australian Open from Novak Djokovic. They worked very well until Tuesday, when top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka defeated the 18-year-old American 6-3, 6-0 to end her run at Melbourne Park.
“Hopefully throughout the year I can keep having more moments with him because it’s been amazing,” Jovic said of Djokovic, the star Serbian who has won 24 Grand Slam singles titles, 10 of them at the Australian Open.
But even Djokovic could not have saved Jovic against Sabalenka in the quarterfinal match.
To be fair, Jovic has been doing just fine on her own, rising quickly in the WTA rankings.
She finished 2024 ranked just inside the top 200. Predicted rankings published Tuesday by the WTA showed her climbing to No. 20 — her highest spot.
Jovic had a chance against Sabalenka in the first set. Sabalenka took a 3-0 lead, but Jovic stayed in the set and had three breakpoint chances in the ninth game trailing 5-3. She lost 6-3 and lost her momentum, losing the second set 6-0.
Jovic referred to a comment that she attributed to Andre Agassi speaking about Djokovic, noting his ability to change styles and keep opponents off balance.
She said Agassi compared Djokovic with “a boxer and the way that he’s going in for punches and then faking them out a little bit. I think the way (Djokovic) approaches the match is very impressive.”
Jovic is the California-born daughter of a Serbian father and Croatian mother who immigrated to the United States.
It was Jovic’s first appearance in a Grand Slam quarterfinal, but she seemed poised from the start.
“I think that I kind of went into the match obviously not knowing too much about how it was going to look like in person, having not really hit with her in the past,” Jovic said. “Our first meeting as well.”
“I kind of tried to just bring that middle ground, and I think I have to be able to adapt to the game and what’s necessary for different play styles. I wasn’t able to do that” against Sabalenka.
Jovic revealed her conversations with Djokovic earlier in the tournament. Djokovic confirmed he gave the young American some feedback, saying he was happy to help a player with Serbian heritage.
The 38-year-old Djokovic has stayed in touch.
“Yes, he did text me with some more tips throughout the rounds. I don’t even know what day it is anymore!” Jovic said. “So we’ve been in communication, and I feel like we’ve built a little bit of a relationship now, which is amazing, and I wish him all the best for the rest of the tournament.”
She plans to have more opportunities of her own at Grand Slams in the future.
‘It’s the quarterfinals but, you know, ultimately I hope to be in many quarterfinals,” she said. “So I don’t think this win or loss today is going to make or break my career.”
“Hopefully throughout the year I can keep having more moments with him because it’s been amazing,” Jovic said of Djokovic, the star Serbian who has won 24 Grand Slam singles titles, 10 of them at the Australian Open.
But even Djokovic could not have saved Jovic against Sabalenka in the quarterfinal match.
To be fair, Jovic has been doing just fine on her own, rising quickly in the WTA rankings.
She finished 2024 ranked just inside the top 200. Predicted rankings published Tuesday by the WTA showed her climbing to No. 20 — her highest spot.
Jovic had a chance against Sabalenka in the first set. Sabalenka took a 3-0 lead, but Jovic stayed in the set and had three breakpoint chances in the ninth game trailing 5-3. She lost 6-3 and lost her momentum, losing the second set 6-0.
Jovic referred to a comment that she attributed to Andre Agassi speaking about Djokovic, noting his ability to change styles and keep opponents off balance.
She said Agassi compared Djokovic with “a boxer and the way that he’s going in for punches and then faking them out a little bit. I think the way (Djokovic) approaches the match is very impressive.”
Jovic is the California-born daughter of a Serbian father and Croatian mother who immigrated to the United States.
It was Jovic’s first appearance in a Grand Slam quarterfinal, but she seemed poised from the start.
“I think that I kind of went into the match obviously not knowing too much about how it was going to look like in person, having not really hit with her in the past,” Jovic said. “Our first meeting as well.”
“I kind of tried to just bring that middle ground, and I think I have to be able to adapt to the game and what’s necessary for different play styles. I wasn’t able to do that” against Sabalenka.
Jovic revealed her conversations with Djokovic earlier in the tournament. Djokovic confirmed he gave the young American some feedback, saying he was happy to help a player with Serbian heritage.
The 38-year-old Djokovic has stayed in touch.
“Yes, he did text me with some more tips throughout the rounds. I don’t even know what day it is anymore!” Jovic said. “So we’ve been in communication, and I feel like we’ve built a little bit of a relationship now, which is amazing, and I wish him all the best for the rest of the tournament.”
She plans to have more opportunities of her own at Grand Slams in the future.
‘It’s the quarterfinals but, you know, ultimately I hope to be in many quarterfinals,” she said. “So I don’t think this win or loss today is going to make or break my career.”
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