Joel Embiid is back and so are the Sixers.
The Sixers beat the Heat 96-79 on Friday night, pulling to within 2-1 in the series and giving them a chance to tie it up on Sunday night.
Different players carried the Sixers throughout the game. James Harden was the best player. Danny Green was the best shooter. Tyrese Maxey was the closer.
None of it happens, however, if Embiid isn't back — and now that he is, the Sixers have a chance to win this series.
Here are some takeaways from the game
James Harden: Jameis Harden showed up and turned in one of his best games of the season in a moment where the Sixers really, really needed him.
Harden seemed to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of Embiid's return, as the Heat couldn't focus on him as much since they finally had to worry about who was at center for the Sixers. Harden has looked better each game so far in this series, especially on offense, where he was been the team's best player (besides perhaps Green) on Friday.
Simply put the Sixers were at their best on Friday night with Harden in the game. With Harden in the game they were a +27. The Heat pretty much only made their runs when Harden was on the bench. In the fourth quarter, with the Sixers up 72-65 and just over nine minutes to play, Harden helped the Sixers hold their lead with Joel Embiid on the bench.
Harden's numbers weren't great, but he was what the Sixers thought they were getting when they traded for him — a player that could be their best player in a big win.
Joel Embiid: In warmups Embiid looked tired, discouraged and bothered by the mask he had to wear to play tonight.
Then, the game started, and he looked the part of the most valuable player in the league.
Embiid didn't have a statistically dominating game, but his presence alone was enough to help the Sixers, who looked like the better team for the first time this series. Embiid's impact was especially clear on the defensive side of the ball, as the Heat scored just 17 points in the first quarter.
Embiid's best moment on offense came in the third quarter. With the Sixers offense struggling and the Heat making a comeback, Embiid drove to the basket and finished for the three-point play. The play gave the Sixers some much needed life and was big in them holding onto their lead to enter the fourth.
The Sixers should feel good about what they will get from Embiid moving forward. He was better against Toronto once he got used to playing with an injured thumb. Now that he has a game under his belt with the facemark on, Embiid should be better on Sunday night.
Danny Green: The Sixers shooting was terrible the first two games. Danny Green changed that pretty much by himself on Friday night. The Sixers veteran went 7-9 from three against the Heat, a massive turnaround from the 2-14 he shot in the first two games. He was the Sixers only source of offense for stretches of the game, especially in the third quarter.
Tyrese Maxey: Maxey didn't have a strong start to the game and was most invisible for the first half, but stepped up big in the fourth quarter. Maxey was the offense the Sixers needed with Joel Embiid on the bench, hitting big shots and making big plays on defense to keep the Heat from taking back the lead. No many athletes, if any, make Philadelphia fans get as loud as Maxey when he is playing good. He was amazing on Friday night in the fourth quarter and as a result the fans helped the Sixers take back any momentum the Heat were getting.
Offensive Rebounds: Sixers gave up way too many offensive rebounds on Friday night, keeping the heat in the game. They gave up six in the first half, including two on one possession. In the second half they have up another ugly one, as the ball bounced between two Sixers with each expecting the other to ge the ball. Instead, the Heat did, and the result was a Jimmy Butler dunk (plus a foul) to pull the Heat back to within five, 51-46. Two possessions later Embiid and Tobias Harris ran into each other and the Heat converted another offensive rebound into another basket. Offensive rebounding is definitely something the Sixers will have to clean up in Game 4 if they plan on tying the series.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com
