In basketball there’s an unwritten rule that players should dribble out the clock when the game has already been decided due to a large deficit. The rule isn’t always followed and has been broken multiple times in the course of the season and currently in the 1st round playoff matchup between Philadelphia and Miami.
Philadelphia 76ers forward Dario Saric drew some criticism when he scored late in a game of a blowout win against the Cleveland Cavaliers on MArch 1, and was shoved by the Cavaliers Jordan Clarkson as a result. Likewise Goran Dragic socred late during the Heat win over the 76ers in Game 2 of the series and drew the ire of 76ers players as per ESPN:
Philadelphia center Joel Embiid said Dragic’s layup at the end of Game 2 bothered him.
“I wish I was there in that Game 2, because I was kind of pissed about it. … I was on the sideline, really mad,” said Embiid, who missed the first two games of the series because of an orbital fracture and concussion.
Both teams have shared their thoughts on the unwritten rule of late game baskets. ESPN reported:
Embiid said he told his teammates to look to score if they encountered the same scenario late in Game 3, which the Sixers won 128-108.
“It’s always good to blow a team out,” he said. “I think we were up 18 or 20, and if you could get that lead up to 22, I think it’s good. I love blowing teams out. I like the fact that we did that. We’re not here to make friends. We’re here to win a series.”
On Wednesday, Dragic brushed off the idea that any of the Sixers were offended by his layup near the end of Game 2.
“I don’t care. The first game we were down 30, and they were still running inbounds plays after timeouts with seven seconds left in the game,” he said. “It’s the playoffs. I’m doing everything it takes.”
With the return of Embiid to the lineup in game 3 the series has now swung in favor of the 76ers who now hold a 2-1 lead. Safe to say that these two teams are playing at their best and want to do what ever it takes to win. Flip the page for highlights from this series.