The Philadephia 76ers came out of the gates with a strong Game 1 as they took down the Boston Celtics on the road with Joel Embiid out due to a knee injury. James Harden was riding high and looked to be in prime playoff form.
However, the last two games have not gone according to plan. Philadelphia got blown out by 34 points in Game 2 before it went home and lost by double-digits again. Now, the 76ers face a critical Game 4 that could see them go down 3-1 against Boston.
With Boston holding homecourt and looking to win another game in Philadephia, the 2022-’23 Most Valuable Award winner is calling for him and his teammates to play better moving forward while facing another second-round exit.
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Joel Embiid says the Philadephia 76ers have to show up against the Boston Celtics
Embiid missed Game 1 and against all odds, the 76ers pulled out one of the most impressive victories of the playoffs to this point. Harden went off for 45 points, six assists, and two steals while draining seven three-point shots.
The next two games have gone in the opposite direction. The star guard has 28 points on five-of-28 shooting over the last two games as he has gone cold at the wrong time. Embiid’s return to Philadephia went well with 30 points and 13 rebounds but it still wasn’t enough in Game 3.
Boston might be too good of a team to lose three straight with two games at home so the 76ers need to improve immediately. Embiid talked about what needs to happen next if the 76ers want to even up the series at two games apiece.
“I think players have to show up. I gotta do my job, all the guys, everybody knows their role, they have to do their job. They have to show up. Obviously, you can’t make any adjustments you want. If the players don’t execute and we don’t make shots, that’s on us. I gotta be better, we gotta be better, we just haven’t been good enough.”
Joel Embiid on the Philadephia 76ers needing to play better in Game 4
The Celtics have looked like a well-oiled machine in Games 2 and 3 but the majority of that has come on the defensive end. Philadephia has only scored 87 and 102 points in the last two games after scoring 119 points in Game 1.
Embiid has done well and while he says everyone needs to be better, it feels like Harden is the team’s X-factor. The 76ers are at their best when Harden is playing at a very high level of basketball.
That has been clear throughout the playoffs as Harden has not bee shooting well in the majority of the games. However, the series is not done yet and anything can happen in the NBA playoffs. The 76ers have a lot of work to do if they want a chance at beating Boston.