Worst Bad Beats of the Week (Joel Embiid's Game-Winner vs. Raptors an Absolute Soul-Crusher

Back on Wednesday, April 20, the Toronto Raptors were in control for nearly the entire ballgame, never having a deficit of less than two points in their Game 3 playoff matchup vs. the Philadelphia 76ers.

That is until the very end of the game.

In overtime, Joel Embiid delivered an absolute dagger to not just Raptors fans, but their bettors holding Toronto +2 tickets as well; causing the worst bad beat of the week, and certainly of the NBA Playoffs thus far.

The big man's step-back game-winner walks away with the worst bad beat of the week award, but who were the others in the running?

Biggest Bad Beats This Week: Monday, April 17 - Sunday, April 24, 2022

Raptors vs. Sixers: Game 2 (Sixers Team Total 112.5)

The Sixers were involved yet again in one of this week's worst bad beats.

In Game 2 in Philadelphia last Monday, Philadelphia entered the fourth quarter with 94 points, needing just 18 in the final 12 minutes to go over their projected team total of 112.5. In the previous three quarters, the Sixers had scored 32, 35 and 28 points.

They ended up with only 17 in the final period.

Hawks vs. Heat: Game 2 (Over/Under 219.5)

The top-seeded Miami Heat made quick work of the 8-seed Atlanta Hawks in their first two home games of the playoffs, winning by 24 in Game 1 and 10 points the next game.

But it was a meaningless Hawks' bucket by Bogdan Bogdanovic in the final seconds that ended up being the biggest difference maker for bettors.

Bogdanovic's fadeaway long two closed the Hawks' deficit to 10 points as the Hawks fell 105-115. However, his jump shot pushed the total to 220; bringing under 219.5 bettors to their knees to ask the gambling gods, "Why me?"

Diamondbacks vs. Nationals (Arizona First 5 Innings +120)

This gaffe caused some indigestion for anyone that had the Arizona Diamondbacks at plus-odds to have the lead through the first five innings in their Tuesday afternoon matchup vs. the Washington Nationals in D.C.

Arizona and starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner held a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning. After Bumgarner retired the first two batters, he induced a pop fly just off the infield to Alcides Escobar. Second baseman Ketel Marte should have made the routine catch to retire the side; giving Diamondbacks first five inning bettors the outright win, but instead Marte flat-out dropped the ball; both literally and figuratively.

After Escobar reached, Victor Robles doubled, sending Escobar into score to tie the game. Cesar Hernandez followed that up with a double of his own, giving the Nationals the 2-1 lead at the end of the fifth, and a once-winning Diamondbacks F5 ticket destroyed.

What other bad beats deserved consideration? Tweet us at @BetSided and let us know!

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