Joel Embiid comes stunningly close to making full-court buzzer beater

Here at Yahoo Sports, we are typically in the business of writing about buzzer-beaters that go in. Improbable, impossible buzzer-beaters that sometimes alter the course of basketball history.

In this case, however, we are writing about one that did not go in.

Joel Embiid delivered one of the greatest "almost" shots in recent memory on Wednesday, coming a breath away from forcing overtime for the Philadelphia 76ers. As the clock wound down against the Phoenix Suns, Embiid rebounded a Chris Paul free throw, turned and heaved a full-court prayer with his team down 116-113.

The ball traveled across the hardwood, hit the backboard, fell to the basket and ... clanked out.

You can see just how close Embiid came to stunning the Suns in this replay:

Embiid didn't need the buzzer-beater to record another strong performance in a losing effort, though. The big man posted 38 points on 14-of-23 shooting (3-of-5 from deep) with 17 rebounds and four assists.

Making that shot would have given Embiid an MVP moment in a race with a crowded field, but alas, sometimes the laws of physics just don't go your way.

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