Embiid hits game-winning 3 with 0.8 left in OT as 76ers extend series lead over Raptors

The last time the Raptors and Sixers battled in the post-season at Scotiabank Arena, the game was decided by a buzzer-beater and Joel Embiid trudged off the floor in tears.

Embiid turned the tables on Wednesday, scoring a dagger three-pointer with 0.8 seconds left in overtime to lift his 76ers 104-101 over Toronto in a loss Raptors coach Nick Nurse called perhaps the toughest of his career.

And now the Raptors trail Philadelphia 3-0 in the best-of-seven first-round playoff series — a deficit no NBA team in history has ever overcome.

"It's tough," Nurse said. "Obviously if we pull that thing out, we've got ourselves a series and instead, you've got yourself a really, really deep hole to dig out of."

Three years after Kawhi Leonard's memorable buzzer-beater in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals eliminated the Sixers, the Philadelphia big man finished with 33 points and 13 rebounds to spoil the first Raptors playoff action in Toronto since that 2019 championship run.

On his way off the court, Embiid told Drake, "I'm coming for the sweep too." Game 4 is Saturday.

OG Anunoby had 26 points to lead the Raptors, who led by as many as 17 points and never trailed until overtime. Gary Trent Jr., scored a career playoff high 24 points despite fighting an illness the past week.

Precious Achiuwa chipped in with 20 points for the Raptors, who were missing NBA rookie of the year finalist Scottie Barnes for the second straight game. Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet both had off nights, with just 12 points apiece. VanVleet shot 3-for-13, going 2-for-10 from three-point range.

WATCH | Embiid hits dagger as 76ers beat Raptors:

"It's tough for sure," VanVleet said of the loss. "Got to stand up, look ourselves in the mirror, get some rest, recover and go lace 'em up again. You can't really cry about it. We have nobody to blame but ourselves."

The Raptors raced out to an early 17-point lead, shooting 52.4 per cent and pestering the Sixers into 15 turnovers in the first half.

But the Raptors went flat in the third quarter, shooting just 1-for-7 from behind the arc, and when Embiid connected on a free throw with 5.5 seconds left in the frame, the Sixers had pulled to within 75-74 with one quarter to play.

Neither team led by more than three points in a hard-fought fourth quarter before VanVleet found Anunoby in the corner for a long bomb, and Achiuwa scored on a putback for a five-point cushion with two minutes to play.

Harden's free throw with 49.7 seconds left tied the game. The former NBA MVP fouled out of the game 20 seconds later, cheered off the floor by the raucous crowd.