Philadelphia level series after stealing Game 4 on Minnesota’s home court after trailing early
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MINNEAPOLIS, JUNE 4 -- For the first time this series, the Minnesota Timberwolves held an early lead. Sometimes the cookies just don’t fall your way as the Philadelphia 76ers clinched Game 4, XXX-XXX, with a last second bucket to level the series, 2-2, heading back home for a critical Game 5 showdown. With 2.2 seconds left in the game, the Minnesota Timberwolves nailed their second free-throw from
Malik Beasley to take a 110-109 lead. Philadelphia called the timeout and quickly forced a throw within the perimeter to
Joel Embiid who scored before the buzzer, leaving Minnesota with no time to answer. “It was poorly defended,” said Minnesota’s head coach
Ryan Saunders. “Huge lapse of concentration error and that’s unexplainable and unacceptable.” Could this be the critical moment of when the 76ers won the 2020 NBA Finals? Every season there’s defining moments. None more so than the lack of preparation heading out of the huddle from these young Timberwolves’. They had done everything right up until that bucket. Outscored Philadelphia, 38-28, hit 8 of their 13 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and outscored them, 19-2, in fast break points. It wasn’t Philadelphia’s greatest game but they secured the victory, despite shooting 2 of 24 from 3-point range. A recurring issue for the Timberwolves has been their inability to defend the paint at times. Tonight was one of those nights, with Philadelphia scoring 66 in the region while Minnesota lagged far behind with 38.
It was the big boys who made the statement in the fourth for Philly.
Joel Embiid scored 10 and made all four of his baskets.
Ben Simmons led the team with 11 points and went 5 of 6. Minnesota’s comeback was sparked by a valiant display from
D’Angelo Russell who scored 20 points in the third quarter alone – hitting 7 of his 13 field goals which included 4 of 5 from deep. The rest of the team? Not so good.
Karl Anthony-Towns who scored 23 points and 20 rebounds recorded 13 points in the first quarter and recorded just 8 more combined in the second and third quarter. Minnesota shot well, they made the plays from three-point range but allowed Philadelphia to bully and push them around in their own paint during the second half of the game. “It wasn’t great D by us,” said Towns, who recorded 2 blocks on the night.
Both teams have made a statement and split the home and road series. Tonight
Joel Embiid finally showed up, scoring 24 points, grabbing 13 rebounds and forcing 3 blocks. Rookie
Matissse Thybulle rebounded from a quiet Game 2 and 3 with 21 points and
Ben Simmons came up big in the fourth quarter after continuously driving to the basket, owning the paint against the Timberwolves. The series is all tied up. Minnesota could have been travelling to Philadelphia with a 3-1 series lead. You could say the same for Philadelphia. The series has been close and unpredictable. The tie makes sense. There’s no clear greater team so far. Philadelphia will have one more chance at home to show they can win their first NBA title in almost four decades. They have all the momentum now.