Joel Embiid set a playoff career-high with 50 points to lift the host Philadelphia 76ers past the New York Knicks 125-114 to cut the Eastern Conference first round series deficit in half on Thursday.
Embiid shot 13-of-19 from the field and 19-of-21 from the free throw line.
Tyrese Maxey added 25 points, Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 15 and Cam Payne had 11 as the Sixers won for the first time to trail 2-1.
Game 4 will be Sunday in Philadelphia.
Jalen Brunon led the Knicks with 39 points and 13 assists, Josh Hart added 20 points and OG Anunoby had 17. Isaiah Hartenstein chipped in with 14.
Hart’s basket cut the deficit to 120-113 with 1:17 left.
But the Sixers responded with some clutch free throws by Embiid to seal the win.
The Knicks closed within 102-92 with 9:32 remaining in the fourth quarter following a 3-pointer from Miles McBride.
Embiid was fouled on a 3-pointer by Hartenstein with 7:33 left and he knocked down all three shots for a 106-94 lead.
Anunoby made consecutive treys and the Knicks trailed 113-105 with 4:47 remaining.
The game was quite physical from the opening tip and bubbled over when Embiid was whistled for a flagrant 1 foul against Mitchell Robinson with 4:34 left in the first quarter.
The Knicks went ahead 47-45 with 4:53 remaining in the second after a short jumper by Anunoby.
Embiid soon scored a pair of baskets in the lane to tie the game at 49.
Donte DiVincenzo drove to the basket and threw down a one-handed dunk with 1:24 to go for a 56-53 advantage.
The Knicks led 58-55 at halftime thanks in large part to 17 points from Brunson.
Embiid picked up his third foul with 6:27 left in the second but stayed in and finished the half with 17 points.
Maxey hit a deep 3-pointer with 6:58 left in the third and the Sixers led 71-66.
Soon after, the Knicks announced that Robinson would miss the remainder of the game with a sprained left ankle.
Embiid made three straight 3-pointers and the Sixers pulled ahead 82-72 with 4:35 remaining.
Embiid scored 18 in the third and the Sixers led 98-85 at the end of the quarter.
