![]() ![]() ![]() They'll both need to show up every night if the Sixers are going to finally make the Eastern Conference Finals, but for a relatively lowly opponent like Brooklyn, it's good enough because of the way Embiid has evolved his game beyond simply destroying defenses with continuous buckets. Maxey was off in Game 1 and Harden was off in Game 2. In Game 2, it was Tyrese Maxey's shooting stroke making the Nets pay, as the third-year guard dropped 33 points and made six threes. ![]() James Harden had seven of them and provided a vintage scoring punch. In Saturday's Game 1 win, the Sixers set a franchise playoff record with 21 made threes. When doubled, Embiid has kicked it out with the Sixers' array of shooters knocking down three after three. Joel Embiid's growth has been on display in Games 1 and 2 vs.Quick Six: Joel Embiid roasts Nets at podium after winning Game 2.Instant observations: Sixers take 2-0 lead on Nets after solving double-team puzzle.Those seven assists are tied for the second most he's ever had in a postseason game. The big fella put up a 20-19-7 stat line. Embiid's work as facilitator on Monday night, not simply being an all-world scorer, was integral in the Sixers' 12-point victory. The Nets' futile plan to slow down the Sixers has been to double-team Embiid this series, a continuous failure through two games. Well, Embiid is taking an "anything you can do, I can do better" approach to that. In the MVP race the last few seasons, pundits have pointed to the versatility of two-time winner Nikola Jokić's offensive game, especially his passing, working as a floor distributor even at 6'11". With the Sixers dying to finally break through that second-round wall and make a true title run, Embiid is carrying them there and is the easy choice for who "won the week in Philly sports," my recurring weekly feature here at PhillyVoice. Embiid, who improbably is getting better and better at 29 years old, is the catalyst for all of that. The Sixers have taken a swift 2-0 series lead in the first round over the Brooklyn Nets with a combined margin of victory of 32. Any media member who voted for Joel Embiid as the NBA's MVP for this regular season certainly isn't regretting their choice with how he's looked in the playoffs. ![]()
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