NBA Playoffs Update: Embiid Pushes Toronto to the Brink, Celtics Erase 17-Point Deficit, Bulls Punch Back in Milwaukee

Let’s rundown the action from Wednesday night’s slate of NBA Playoffs action.

Celtics 114, Nets 107

Series: BOS leads 2-0

I’m going to be honest with you here. Nothing would make me happier than seeing the Nets get swept in this opening-round series. They’re just such an unlikable team, in my opinion. So, last night’s Celtics victory that put Boston up 2-0 in the series was a delight.

Boston erased a 17-point deficit down the stretch and never looked back en route to a seven-point victory over Brooklyn. Jaylen Brown scored 22 points, and Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart added 19 and 12 points, respectively, in the win for the Celtics.

Kevin Durant scored 27 points in the losing effort, and Kyrie Irving was held to just 10 points on 4-13 shooting from the floor. After the game, Boston’s NBC Sports RSN threw a haymaker at Iriving on Twitter, and I’m here for it!

The series now shifts to Brooklyn, with the Nets just two losses from being eliminated. Oh, and the Nets might get Ben Simmons back for Game 4 on Monday:

76ers 104, Raptors 101 (F/OT)

Series: PHI leads 3-0

Yoooooo! Joel Embiid drilled a wild game-winning inbound three-pointer to knock off the Raptors in overtime in Toronto and take a 3-0 lead over the Raptors on Wednesday night.

Embiid had a monster game scoring 33 points, and logging 13 rebounds in the Philly win. Tyrese Maxey continued to turn in a strong performance in this series with 19 points and four rebounds, and James Harden added 19 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds. If there was any question as to whether or not Harden could take a back seat to Joel Embiid offensively, it’s being answered in the affirmative in this series. Still, seeing how long that lasts is another question for the Sixers.

OG Anunoby led the Raptors in scoring with 26 points, and Gary Trent added 24 points for Toronto. Fred VanVleet and Paskal Siakam struggled, with the duo combining for 24 points on 9-29 shooting.

The Raptors are now on the brink of elimination with Game 4 on Saturday afternoon.

Bulls 114, Bucks 110

Series: Tied 1-1

The Bulls came out firing and took advantage of four consecutive Milwaukee turnovers to start the game and multiple times flirted with a 20-point lead in a huge Game 2 victory in Milwaukee. DeMar DeRozan set a new playoff career-high in scoring with 41 points as the Bulls evened things up with the series shifting to Chicago on Friday night.

Milwaukee mounted a surge towards the end of the third and fourth quarters. Still, the Bulls were able to hold off the Bucks for the win, avoiding what many predicted would be a big punch in the mouth to the Bulls by the Bucks after a less-than-stellar performance by the defending champs in Game 1.

Eli has more on DeMar DeRozan’s big night and the Bulls’ victory in Milwaukee:

written by

Patrick grew up in Chicago's Bridgeport and Garfield Ridge neighborhoods before moving to the Western Suburbs of Chicago before eventually relocating to the Las Vegas area with his family in 2023. He started with Bleacher Nation in 2021 and has spent time as a Staff Writer and on the Chicago Blackhawks beat. He is currently a writer and editor at Bleacher Nation covering the Chicago Bears and the NFL at large and the author of the Bleacher Nation Newsletter. Patrick is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA).

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