May 6, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) rebounds the ball past Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) during the first quarter in game three of the second round for the 2022 NBA playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Joel Embiid returned for Game 3, and he helped lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 99-79 win over the Miami Heat. Now, Heat fans are starting to worry.
The Miami Heat got off to the best of starts to their Eastern Conference Semi-Finals series against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers were without star Joel Embiid, who suffered a concussion and an orbital fracture in the first-round, for the first two games. Yet, ahead of Game 3 on May 6, he cleared concussion protocol and was activated for Game 3.
Embiid had an impressive showing in his return to the court, as he helped lead the 76ers to a 99-79 win over the Heat to cut the series to 2-1.
With the NBA MVP favorite back, some Heat fans might be starting to worry a bit.
Heat fans start to worry after Joel Embiid helps 76ers win Game 3 in return
Despite returning to the team on short rest, Embiid logged a total of 36 minutes in Game 3. In that span, Embiid scored 18 points while shooting 5-for-12 from the field and 8-for-10 from the free-throw line, and grabbed 11 rebounds to secure a double-double.
The Heat struggled with scoring. They only had two players score double-digit points, and they were Jimmy Butler (33 points, 12-of-22 FG) and Tyler Herro (14 points, 5-of-15 FG). Not to mention they were 7-for-30 from the 3-point line. To put that in comparison, the Heat scored as many 3-pointers as Danny Green did in the same game (7-of-9)!
Bringing Embiid back provided the spark that the 76ers desperately needed to avoid the dreaded 0-3 deficit. This does not mean that the tide is turning in the series completely. Miami can take a 3-1 series lead with a Game 4 victory on Sunday, May 8.