Joel Embiid is enjoying the best season of his NBA career, and he punctuated it with a riveting highlight Saturday night.
Unfortunately for Embiid and the 76ers, it didn’t count.
With 1.3 seconds left in a hard-fought game between Philadelphia and the visiting Celtics, Embiid took an inbound pass and launched a 70-foot heave at the basket from inside the three-point line in the backcourt. The home crowd erupted when the shot went down, but officials ruled Embiid released the ball a fraction of a second after the game clock had expired.
If the shot had counted, the game would have gone to overtime. Instead, Boston held on for a 110–107 victory.
Afterward, Embiid lamented the fact that he didn’t get the shot off in time at the ultimate moment of the pivotal Eastern Conference matchup.
“I mean, I wish I would have shot it sooner,” Embiid said, per All 76ers. “As I turned I saw Derrick White there, so I couldn’t really get it off. So, I had to kind of go back to my right side to try and get it off. Unfortunately, story of my life.”
Embiid handled the moment with grace despite being unhappy with the outcome. Philadelphia could’ve climbed within two games of first-place Boston in the conference standings with a win. Instead, the 76ers (39–20) dropped to four games behind the Celtics (44–17).
“It didn’t count, but I guess it’s a good highlight for everybody,” Embiid said. “Social media and all that stuff, but it didn’t count. We lost the game. It’s frustrating losing this type of game, especially when you’re winning by so much. It’s frustrating.”
Nevertheless, the 76ers remain well positioned as they sit in third place in the Eastern Conference. Embiid ranks second in the NBA with 33.1 points per game and ninth with 10.4 rebounds per game this season.
