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The Sixers survive the donnybrook and fend off the Nets in Game 4

Adrian Fedkiw|

Ben Simmons and Jared Dudley were right in the thick of a raucous donnybrook as they tumbled into the first row. For a second straight game, Dudley woke the Philadelphia 76ers up and Mike Scott delivered the final blow.

Mike Drop!

Scott nailed a go-ahead 3-pointer with 18.6 seconds remaining, Joel Embiid scored 12 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter and the Sixers fended off the scrappy Brooklyn Nets 112-108 in Game 4 of their first-round series.

Embiid added 16 rebounds, seven assists and six blocks for Philadelphia, which took a commanding 3-1 series lead. Scott’s go-ahead triple came on a broken play after Embiid fumbled the ball along the baseline following Tobias Harris’ post entry. He was still able to somehow push it out to Scott for the open shot.

Jarrett Allen was triple-teamed at the other end and Simmons stripped him to seal the victory for the Sixers.

The scuffle occurred after Embiid fouled Allen hard from behind. Dudley came in to get into Embiid’s face, which led to Jimmy Butler shoving him. Simmons and Dudley then got tangled up and fell into the first row of the stands. Butler and Dudley were ejected and Embiid was assessed a flagrant foul – it was a clean block by the way.

Embiid called Dudley a nobody after the game.

Embiid and Butler joked about the melee in their postgame pressers.

Dudley continues to play the role of instigator, a la Bill Laimbeer in the 1980s. He called Simmons’ half-court game average on Thursday, which led to the second-year pro dropping 31 points on his ass in Game 3. Even prior to the scuffle, Dudley mocked Simmons’ arm gesture from the other night after he nailed a trey.

The Sixers trailed 69-61 after Allen hit his two technical free throws with 7:42 remaining in the third quarter. Philly outscored Brooklyn 51-39 the rest of the way. Embiid became more aggressive, attacking the paint over the final 12 minutes instead of hovering along the perimeter.

They went 27 minutes between 3-point baskets before J.J. Redick knocked one down from the right wing following an offensive rebound and kickout from Embiid with 50 seconds left, staking the Sixers to a 107-106 edge. D’Angelo Russell found a cutting Joe Harris down the lane for a layup to temporarily put the Nets back ahead with 25 ticks on the clock prior to Scott’s heroics.

Brooklyn scratched and clawed for 60 minutes, Philly still doesn’t have an answer for its guards. Caris LeVert had James Ennis dancing all afternoon, recording 25 points, six rebounds and five assists, Russell posted 21 points, seven boards and six helpers and Spencer Dinwiddie poured in 10 of his 18 points in the third frame.

The Sixers can close the series out Tuesday night in Philadelphia.

 

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