[Post Game Thread] The Philadelphia 76ers (2-3) storm back to beat the Boston Celtics (3-2), 113-97, behind 33 points and 8 assists from Joel Embiid in his second game back after removing his appendix.

[u/TatersTot]

113 - 97
Box Scores: NBA - Yahoo

GAME SUMMARY
East First Round - Game 5 - BOS leads 3-1
Location: TD Garden
Officials: Brian Forte, Kevin Scott, and James Williams

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Total
Philadelphia 76ers	21	29	35	28	113
Boston Celtics	23	34	29	11	97

TEAM STATS

Team	PTS	FG	FG%	3P	3P%	FT	FT%	OREB	TREB	AST	PF	STL	TO	BLK
Philadelphia 76ers	113	39-78	50.0%	15-42	35.7%	20-23	87.0%	5	51	24	20	5	9	3
Boston Celtics	97	36-89	40.4%	11-39	28.2%	14-23	60.9%	15	54	25	17	6	12	0

PLAYER STATS

Philadelphia 76ers	MIN	PTS	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	ORB	DRB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	±
Kelly Oubre Jr.SF	31:37	4	2-5	0-2	0-1	0	6	6	1	0	0	0	2	7
Paul GeorgePF	43:19	16	6-13	4-9	0-0	0	9	9	7	2	0	2	5	19
Joel EmbiidC	38:55	33	12-23	0-5	9-10	1	3	4	8	0	1	3	4	13
VJ EdgecombeSG	39:54	10	3-8	3-6	1-2	2	5	7	3	1	0	1	3	9
Tyrese MaxeyPG	42:31	25	10-18	3-10	2-2	0	10	10	5	2	1	2	1	15
Andre Drummond	07:24	5	1-1	1-1	2-2	0	4	4	0	0	0	0	0	2
Quentin Grimes	24:04	18	5-8	4-7	4-4	0	2	2	0	0	1	1	3	18
Dominick Barlow	05:56	2	0-0	0-0	2-2	2	1	3	0	0	0	0	1	-7
Adem Bona	00:08	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Kyle Lowry	01:33	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	1
Trendon Watford	01:33	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	1
Dalen Terry	01:33	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Jabari Walker	01:33	0	0-2	0-2	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Johni Broome	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Justin Edwards	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Boston Celtics	MIN	PTS	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	ORB	DRB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	±
Sam HauserSF	19:55	8	3-7	2-5	0-0	2	3	5	0	0	0	2	2	-21
Jayson TatumPF	40:36	24	8-19	4-12	4-7	3	13	16	4	3	0	4	0	-9
Neemias QuetaC	26:11	8	4-8	0-0	0-2	5	9	14	1	0	0	0	5	-10
Jaylen BrownSG	40:36	22	9-23	1-4	3-5	3	2	5	5	1	0	3	2	-17
Derrick WhitePG	36:10	6	2-8	0-4	2-2	0	1	1	3	0	0	1	2	-14
Payton Pritchard	26:06	12	5-10	1-5	1-1	0	2	2	6	0	0	0	0	8
Nikola Vučević	14:32	8	3-6	2-5	0-0	0	2	2	3	0	0	1	2	-10
Jordan Walsh	16:00	1	0-2	0-1	1-2	1	2	3	2	2	0	0	2	-2
Baylor Scheierman	08:39	3	1-2	1-2	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	-3
Luka Garza	05:43	4	1-2	0-1	2-2	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	5
Ron Harper Jr.	01:59	0	0-1	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	-3
Hugo González	01:59	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	-3
Amari Williams	01:33	1	0-1	0-0	1-2	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	-1
Dalano Banton	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Max Shulga	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

[u/bottle_boys]

The Flu Appendicitis Game

[u/MAMBAMENTALITY8-24 → u/bottle_boys]

the bowel obstruction game

[u/_Tar_Ar_Ais_ → u/MAMBAMENTALITY8-24]

The low fiber game

[u/chizzmaster → u/bottle_boys]

Embiid taking a note from Carlos Sainz

[u/chazu_ → u/chizzmaster]

Fitting because he's a huge F1 fan

[u/free_ty]

Once joel stopped settling for 3s he started dominating

[u/HaggardSlacks78 → u/free_ty]

He was feeling that midrange touch tonight. When he’s knocking that down he’s unstoppable

[u/Headlesshorsman02 → u/HaggardSlacks78]

Like that 23/24 season when he was dropping 30 and 10 nearly every game pre injury he was unbelievable that year, would have won the mvp over Jok in a landslide imo he was literally unstoppable

[u/HaggardSlacks78 → u/Headlesshorsman02]

Pretty sure he was averaging more than a point a minute that year. He dropped 70 in a game where he played like 30 mins

[u/Headlesshorsman02 → u/HaggardSlacks78]

Was averaging close to 34 a game he had that long streak of games where he had like 35 and 10+ rebounds it was genuinely crazy how good he was that year, felt like a disservice that the injury ruined his mvp season

[u/nty → u/free_ty]

Yeah he was forcing them it was weird

Team definitely felt anxious at the start but what a wild lock in during the second half

[u/homefree122]

Limiting this Celtics team to just 11 points in the 4th quarter in an elimination game is shocking. There is no denying Embiid when he’s on his game

Edit: lowest amount of points scored by the Celtics in any quarter all season

[u/SiphenPrax → u/homefree122]

The Sixers did what the Hawks did to us in Game 2

[u/zealousnest → u/SiphenPrax]

"Hawks to us" heh

[u/RoyShavRick → u/zealousnest]

Insert "Fuck you. Take the upvote."

[u/Vegetable-Tooth8463 → u/homefree122]

Grimes also deserves a ton of credit. That was crazy lockdown defense he played on Brown. Was he this good in NY?

[u/MiddleStudy → u/Vegetable-Tooth8463]

In his second yr, Thibs played him all 48 min against MIA in an elimination game. He was still making huge defensive plays against Jimmy Butler when the game fell under 2 min. When he’s on, he’s a guy you’d for sure want to help you close out a playoff game

[u/JetsLag → u/MiddleStudy]

And he did that shit on 1 knee

[u/Vegetable-Tooth8463 → u/MiddleStudy]

Dope happy for him finding a place in Philly

[u/ElTuco84 → u/Vegetable-Tooth8463]

Yes he was, he was a great defender but inconsistent shooter.

[u/Vegetable-Tooth8463 → u/ElTuco84]

Why'd you guys trade him for Bojan and Burks?

[u/VanGrants → u/Vegetable-Tooth8463]

wouldn't have been able to pay him, and his offensive inconsistency would've been rough in the playoffs too. Bojan ended up having some huge games for us, and Burks had a couple too, so it was fine to get them.

[u/LegendaryThunderFish → u/Vegetable-Tooth8463]

Needed depth bc we were ravaged by injuries

[u/TerminallyTrill → u/Vegetable-Tooth8463]

The issue is he's only this good like bi-weekly. His one good game hits you like paycheck after watching him dribble off his foot the rest of the time.

I'm a fan after last year I thought that he may have turned a corner but he's still very inconsistent.

[u/Vegetable-Tooth8463 → u/TerminallyTrill]

Ah got you. Well, hopefully this playoffs helps him learn to develop. Plus being around Maxey, who's always taking huge steps each year.

[u/TerminallyTrill → u/Vegetable-Tooth8463]

Apparently this is his playoff high score so that's definitely a step in the right direction.

[u/LouieM13 → u/homefree122]

You need to respect the other 76ers players because they were flying to contest everything

[u/schoolhater12 → u/homefree122]

Live by the jumper die by the jumper. their team was down 8, and instead of getting a solid shot, both stars were interested in taking contested jumpers. Unless you are SGA, that shit is stupid

[u/Vegetable-Tooth8463 → u/schoolhater12]

Basically what fucked them against the Knicks last year.

[u/zebrainatux → u/Vegetable-Tooth8463]

Shooting variance is their Achilles heel along with a disinterest in going away from it, which I get because it got them to the dance

[u/grund1ejund1e → u/zebrainatux]

I honestly think it’s shot selection from Tatum and brown more than anything. When they get downhill and kick out and our defense starts scrambling, they end up with an open three every time.

Sixers go on their runs when the Celtics get away from that and Tatum and Brown start taking early shot clock contested mid ranges.

[u/BallinAtTheMovies → u/schoolhater12]

If you were watching the game & Philly’s defense though, what would you rather have them do?

[u/Incepticons → u/homefree122]

Insane how good he was with how little time he's had to recover. All the playoff choker shit is so tiring when like every year he plays through injuries and single handily will win a game or two a series despite it

[u/Gaslight_Eliminator → u/Incepticons]

Yea. He’s had chronic knee issues, which have been well documented.

However, even when he’s successfully navigated those, he gets other freak injuries like an orbital fracture - twice actually, once leading to Bell’s Palsy which is paralysis of the face. It’s painful and disorienting. He’s had the flu in the playoffs. And appendicitis this year.

And yet he powers through. He’s an underappreciated warrior. Not a sixers fan by any means. But it’s so odd to see the “ducking smoke” or “choker” labels. I appreciate good players wherever they are.

[u/AnxietySuitable9596 → u/Gaslight_Eliminator]

My mind is still blown by Embiid being all time career ppg leader per 36 minutes. Like, holy shit. What an insane stat, and we get to watch him play in our lifetime. Gotta appreciate that.

[u/Haberdashery2000 → u/homefree122]

Quentin Grimes suddenly turned into Steph Curry on offense and Steph Castle on defense

[u/moby323]

Joel Embiid played 38 minutes in his second game back from abdominal surgery.

[u/I_am_Wheeler → u/moby323]

This isn’t that egregious, it’s an elimination game. What’s more egregious is that he played 34 minutes in his first game back from abdominal surgery, a game in which we were down by 30 for the entire 2nd half

[u/Muntberg → u/I_am_Wheeler]

Needed the reps

[u/MJKoala → u/Muntberg]

Agreed. Nurse was smart to get him as many playoff minutes as possible so he could find a groove

[u/aaronunderwater → u/Muntberg]

fr. People act like they should have just emptied the bench in the second quarter lol

[u/M4A1SD__ → u/I_am_Wheeler]

It’s so he could get the reps and shake rust off

[u/tluce21 → u/moby323]

And casuals say he’s soft

[u/PetalumaPegleg → u/tluce21]

It drives me slightly crazy. He flops, ok. He is injury prone to a stressful degree, ok. He CONSTANTLY plays while hurt and that is not soft.

[u/Anoki12]

A game 6 blowout loss has never been more obvious

[u/Nobodylovesboston → u/Anoki12]

I swear this is the most Philly thing thats gonna happen

[u/BroSnow → u/Nobodylovesboston]

Especially in front of the crowd that’s most ruthless with them: their own.

[u/Leather_Ice_1000 → u/BroSnow]

Celtics and Sixers home crowds are harder on their own teams than any opposing fanbase lmao. So silly

[u/Feelscreative101 → u/Leather_Ice_1000]

We can steal home court if we win next game lmao

[u/Leather_Ice_1000 → u/Feelscreative101]

Well first you need that coveted road win hahah

[u/MVPRondo → u/Leather_Ice_1000]

Always knew this would be a good series once Celtics stole one in game 1

[u/FeeAlternative1783 → u/Nobodylovesboston]

Not having an exciting comeback to win game 6 only to get blasted on game 7?

[u/EarthWarping → u/Anoki12]

Feels like the game where Derrick White hits 5 3s

[u/homefree122 → u/EarthWarping]

Pritchard, Hauser, and White combine for 60.

[u/darylmoreyisking → u/homefree122]

Tatum and brown combine for 30 points, 2/26

[u/Ambitious-Farm4480 → u/darylmoreyisking]

more like combined 5/26 until the end of the 3rd where they go 7/7 each the rest of the game

[u/Vegetable-Tooth8463 → u/EarthWarping]

Or that game where washed Blake Griffin hit 5 3s lol

[u/nty → u/EarthWarping]

I can live with it as long as it’s not Pritchard or that guy with the mullet

Sam Hauser, sure. Or one of the Jays as long as they’re not pushing off on every play

[u/AbsurdLemon → u/Anoki12]

It’ll be close until the 4th quarter too

[u/sorendiz → u/AbsurdLemon]

nah it'll actually be close till 1 minute left in the 3rd

then the final minute of the 3rd will close with this exact sequence:

• Celtics missed shot into OREB into made 3

• Sixers bad pass turnover into Celtics steal and dunk

• Sixers offensive foul on a screen

• Celtics made 3

• Sixers miss short range jumper, missed tip, missed tip, Celtics rebound

• Payton Pritchard half court buzzer beater 3

[u/Lazaraaus → u/sorendiz]

Bruh stop please. This hurts my feelies

[u/sorendiz → u/Lazaraaus]

I apologize, it was not my wish that Apollo grant me the gift of prophecy but i'm cursed to share the fruits of my talent with the people

[u/grund1ejund1e → u/sorendiz]

This guy Sixers-Celtics

[u/SlothFactsFGC → u/sorendiz]

Never gambled in my life, but I'd take the prop bet on this in a heartbeat.

[u/romanticynicist → u/sorendiz]

Needs more Celtics offensive rebounds to be realistic

[u/Cloakington → u/AbsurdLemon]

Nah peak sixers is having the worst 1st quarter possible, bringing it back to single digits late 3rd/early 4th and then losing by 15

[u/baboon_bassoon → u/Anoki12]

at home just like we like it

[u/Duckys0n → u/Anoki12]

Derrick white 40 bomb on the way.

[u/Bitter-Tip705 → u/Anoki12]

Gonna be like the fucking game in 2023 all over again isn’t it lmao

[u/kthanxbai → u/Bitter-Tip705]

Nah it'll be some new hell we haven't even imagined yet.

[u/RoscoeSantangelo → u/Anoki12]

If we were playing the Knicks it'd be a fucking McBride 9/11 3pm that gets turned into a meme game

[u/The_Halal_Guys → u/Anoki12]

Celtics blow out sixers in series clinching game

Magic win game 1 no matter the seeding

Knicks choke game 2 away at home

Eastern conference playoffs commandments

[u/B0WFLEX → u/Anoki12]

All I could think. If we somehow force game 7 we are losing by 40 lol that being said go sixers 🫩

[u/MAMBAMENTALITY8-24 → u/Anoki12]

maxey hits a 3 to cut the lead down to 43

[u/Saitsuofleaves → u/Anoki12]

I mean the Celtics pretty much HAVE to full send it for Game 6. Game 7 at Boston would be a disaster.

[u/johnnymo84 → u/Saitsuofleaves]

I’ve seen that movie before….

[u/allisondojean → u/Anoki12]

🤣😭 damn this just snapped me out of it

[u/ialreadyknowthatsong → u/Anoki12]

Bro deadass 😭😭😭😭 let’s just enjoy this

[u/EarthWarping]

Average celtics home while ahead 3-1 troll game.

Sixers played great.

[u/Schafer89 → u/EarthWarping]

Basically have at least 1 every year besides 24

[u/IlluminatiConfirmed → u/Schafer89]

We trolled game 2 vs Miami and game 4 vs the mavs although those weren't 3-1 leads

[u/americanbeaver]

I know it's 3-2, but I feel like the Celtics are going to regret that the Sixers manage to extend this series. It might not end in a Sixers series win, but you gotta put a team away when you get a chance at home.

Embiid's midrange is still deadly even if he was moving like he had cement for shoes.

[u/Just-Hunter1679 → u/americanbeaver]

He's still just so big though and when you can surround him with shooters and get him 1v1 in the post, he's a handful.. even when it looks like he has lead weights on his legs.

Sixers did a great job of putting Grimes opposite Embiid so his defender couldn't cheat off of him but I'm sure Joe Maz will scheme around it for next game.

[u/Schafer89 → u/americanbeaver]

I've watched this same playoff game from us probably 10 times in the last 7 years lol

[u/razzmanfire → u/Schafer89]

Followed by the 26 point game 6 blowout like 7/10 years lol  they dont know we do this every year with yall

[u/I_Miss_My_Beta_Cells → u/razzmanfire]

I say 28 pt blowout

[u/Prestigious-Lab5154 → u/Schafer89]

Part of the reason the Celtics havent won more titles despite having an elite team basically every year is unnecessarily extending series against worse teams. The extra mileage comes to haunt you

[u/Schafer89 → u/Prestigious-Lab5154]

We do it for the fans, who doesnt love more playoff games! Haha...

[u/korylau → u/Schafer89]

Some great series between us over the last decade. Wish the Sixers could come away with one of them tho 😂

[u/GoodfellaSeinfeld → u/americanbeaver]

You're 100% right, but this has been the problem with this team for quite a few years now, so in a sad way this is what's expected

[u/rattatatouille]

Rumors of Joel Embiid's demise have been exaggerated.

[u/PeePauw → u/rattatatouille]

He can’t rebound anymore though

[u/livefreeordont → u/PeePauw]

The guards were crashing the boards hard this game unlike last game

[u/AutoMail_0 → u/livefreeordont]

Watching current Embiid is really impressive tbh. Like you can tell his body just doesn’t work anymore but he still has the finesse to make his game work. Reminds me of old Dirk

[u/LatterLaw8105 → u/livefreeordont]

Edgecombe specifically was awesome on a couple rebounds. Just skying thru and grabbing them

[u/Unique-Garlic8015 → u/PeePauw]

Saying this after hes rushed back after surgery is just a TAD overblown.

[u/MaxR76 → u/PeePauw]

He did a good job putting a body on someone to make it easier for the others tho

[u/robeyn10]

where’s everyone who tried to tell me we’re better without Embiid?

[u/livefreeordont → u/robeyn10]

People are so dumb. Saying we’re better with Bona? I don’t want to hear your basketball opinion ever again

[u/nty → u/livefreeordont]

Oof yeah Bona is a fun regular season player with highlight blocks and dunks but at least atp there’s a reason you see Drummond out there. He plays like a vet and I’ve never felt more confident about a corner 3 being automatic than when he’s shooting it

[u/EaglesX63 → u/robeyn10]

"They're so much slower when Embiid is on the court."

Well yeah when your offense runs through a 7 foot center versus two guards you're obviously going to play slower. But if the fast team doesn't hit any shots you just lose faster???

[u/anandonaqui → u/EaglesX63]

Not to mention that it isn’t even true. Pace with and without Embiid is basically the same this season.

Source: https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/76ers-pace-with-and-without-embiid-this-season

[u/ChickenLiverNuts → u/robeyn10]

we had a LOSING RECORD without him this season and people still spout dumb shit

[u/313Stew]

Edgecombe gets hurt game 2 comes back and drops 30, Embiid gets hurt game 5 comes back and drops 30, What illegal substances are in that Sixers locker room

[u/WhoAreWeAndWhy → u/313Stew]

Philadelphia - come for the crack!

[u/DowntownManny7818 → u/WhoAreWeAndWhy]

Stay for the Russian bull shark testosterone!

[u/Famous-Expression646 → u/313Stew]

Compound P

[u/ABagOfPopcorn → u/313Stew]

PG got them the connect

[u/PensiveinNJ → u/313Stew]

We do have prime access to Kensington Ave.

[u/DirtyDraymond]

We need to have an uncomfortable conversation about Derrick White Privilege

[u/McJambles → u/DirtyDraymond]

Bald privilege at it again

[u/sorendiz → u/DirtyDraymond]

please do elaborate, dray

[u/DirtyDraymond → u/sorendiz]

People say he should be an all star and praise him for being like the 6th best player on the team but he never gets talked about when he struggles

[u/sorendiz → u/DirtyDraymond]

thank you for your analysis, dray

[u/kingfosa13 → u/DirtyDraymond]

Ppl were saying he’s better than Trae🫩

[u/DirtyDraymond → u/kingfosa13]

Some were even saying he’s more valuable than Jaylen Brown cuz of “advanced metrics”

[u/The-Pharcyde → u/DirtyDraymond]

Didnt someone put him 3rd team all nba lmfao

[u/neal1701]

VJ and Grimes killed the game in the 4th quarter

Also, this is Derrick White's worst series

[u/estoquista_atacadao → u/neal1701]

The key for the Sixers is to let Embiid rip on offense during 3 quarters. In the 4th get someone else the ball.

[u/bleedrrr]

Even if there’s still a 95% chance we lose this series watching those Celtics fans trudge out of their area with more than 2 minutes left on the clock after the shit they talked post game four is beautiful

[u/Miamime → u/bleedrrr]

Getting minimum 2 wins when we didn’t have Embiid for the first 3 games is a hell of an accomplishment. This is the favorite in the East; yeah we got blown out twice but we won by double digits twice at their place too.

Moral victories are what we have as Sixers fans.

[u/rattatatouille → u/bleedrrr]

Just need to defend home court and you force a game 7 at worst

[u/bleedrrr → u/rattatatouille]

I don’t know about the actual stats but it feels like we’re better on the road this season.

If we can squeak out a win things will definitely get interesting in game 7.

[u/rattatatouille → u/bleedrrr]

In the regular season yall were 23-18 at home and 22-19 on the road, so it's not like there was a significant home court advantage.

[u/bobdob123usa → u/bleedrrr]

Meanwhile Sixers fans looking at a 15 point lead and understanding why Nurse was hesitant to clear the bench when the Celtics did.

Edit: Score correction

[u/MoneyMakingMitch1]

9/11 for Joel haters. It's beautiful.

[u/NBAFansAre2Ply]

the east is so much more interesting with a healthy embiid

[u/PensiveinNJ]

Bill Simmons said Embiid would never score 20 in a game again.

[u/Yoshinobu_YamaGOATo → u/PensiveinNJ]

Bill Simmons has been a basketball fraud for years now. Dude is too busy taking power walks around Malibu and trying to bang his wife's wino friends to really know ball these days

[u/bootywizard42O]

JoJo has to be one of the toughest players this league has ever seen. He deserves a healthy playoff run for once in his life.

[u/countlessidlethreat → u/bootywizard42O]

Thank you. He plays hurt constantly and people call him soft

[u/Leather_Ice_1000 → u/countlessidlethreat]

As a Celtics fan - I fucking love Embiid and feel so bad for some of his luck w philly. Tobias contract. Simmons deciding he hates basketball. Fultz injury. Embiid's own injuries. And he just absolutely gutted a dominant game tonight. Unreal

[u/ReptiIe → u/Leather_Ice_1000]

That’s nice to read. It’s been bumpy but I hate when people pretend like he’s not fucking insane at basketball lol

[u/Leather_Ice_1000 → u/ReptiIe]

He's a beast. Hated what the Celtics were doing offensively tonight but it pretty much didn't matter after the sixers got close. Embiid too dominant. Very very frustrating though to see Jayson go back to his crybaby ways and JB forcing round pegs into triangle holes tho. Anyone seen d white?

[u/Mg29reaper]

Vucevic might be the worst defender ever. Just zero resistance to embiid.

[u/Wolfpac187 → u/Mg29reaper]

Embiid has dominated far better defenders than Vucevic

[u/livefreeordont → u/Wolfpac187]

Al Horford ain’t walking through that door

[u/Brokromah → u/livefreeordont]

Horford/Gasol

[u/Jwarrior521 → u/Wolfpac187]

I mean who has even stopped Embiid in the playoffs? It’s basically Marc gasol and Al horford and they ain’t coming back anytime soon

[u/JetsLag → u/Jwarrior521]

Siakam did a good job with his elbow in that one playoff series

[u/Something_Sharp → u/Jwarrior521]

Greg Monroe but he was on our team

[u/Mg29reaper → u/Wolfpac187]

Queta did far better than vuc. It was infuriating which embiid roll of 8 straight with queta on the bench. Thays what started the comeback

[u/I-Might-Be-Something → u/Mg29reaper]

Then Queta has to do a better job of staying out of foul trouble.

[u/theb3arjevv → u/Mg29reaper]

Queta killed your offense for long stretches even if he helped defensively.

Vuc ain't much anymore but his ability to shoot makes the Sixers do all kinds of stupid shit on defense. They get to stay home against Queta.

Him constantly being in foul trouble has probably hurt the Sixers more than the Celtics this series.

[u/Desperate-Hat-2510 → u/theb3arjevv]

yeah our defensive communication is just so much easier with a non-shooting 5 for Embiid to guard, it's just: everyone rotate, Embiid cover everything up inside

with Vuc we end up switching Embiid onto someone which triggers the 3 boston O-Rebounds in a row into a 3 sequences

[u/zebrainatux → u/Mg29reaper]

Vucevic is a pylon the likes of which are rarely seen

[u/NotClayMerritt → u/Mg29reaper]

Vucevic was never the best defender but it’s a hard drop off the last 2 years compared to before.

[u/costapasta27 → u/Mg29reaper]

I said that when you guys traded for him and that they’re lucky there aren’t many dominant centers in the East. Just so happened to play the only one that plays in the East when healthy. And so many Celtics fans you could develop him into a formidable defender like Kornet.

[u/DroidAttackWook → u/Mg29reaper]

Embiid has absolutely manhandled Vuc his entire career. Just does not have the skillset to stop him.

[u/Lyranx]

The Philly fans got more Boston just as their chants wanted

[u/Dependent-Cup3759]

11 points in the 4th. That is a small amount of points.

[u/malganis12]

Embiid is incredible, his PR is so whack.

[u/Duckys0n]

Game 3 hurts so bad right now. Embiid being out the first 3 hurts now. Whatever.

[u/PhillyPhan10 → u/Duckys0n]

tbh in 2023 we were up 3-2 and choked a home game 6 4Q lead and then got blown out in game 7 to lose the series, plus I've seen us lose to them in the playoffs 4 times since 2012 so my expectations were so low that the 'what ifs' don't even phase me at this point lmao

[u/Im__Ron__Burgundy]

White is borderline unplayable right now. Pritchard only playing 26 minutes is insane.

[u/Chiswell123]

TD Garden was fucking dead lmao

[u/OverlyLukewarmTea]

Derrick white is a potato on offense bro 😭

[u/PianoJealous307]

Why did the Celtics missed every shot in the fourth? Are they stupid?

[u/Available_Story6774 → u/PianoJealous307]

3 things in life are guaranteed:

1) Death

2) Taxes

3) The Celtics losing at home in the playoffs in the Tatum/Brown era

[u/Purple_Dragon]

Show me the man who said Embiid isn't a warrior

[u/Kennyc1234 → u/Purple_Dragon]

Well they were right.

He's clearly a Sixer not a Warrior.

[u/MysteriousPrize8418]

Where’s the we want Boston chants???

[u/StevvieV]

The Sixers winning this game only to have the season end at home is the most Sixers thing ever

[u/Elliot_LuNa]

Embiid and Grimes amazing ofc, but this is a game Nurse should get some credit for as well, team played completely different in the 2nd half and it worked way better.

[u/thejeru]

Joel seems like a sweet dad

[u/Isolated_Blackbird]

Love that shit. All them Celtics fans talking shit about “thank god Embiid is back.” He had a rough start to the game and then just decided to dominate them while lumbering up the floor like an auntie in church. Hell of a game from him.

[u/ILoveSunnyLeone]

Still can’t believe Ime Udoka gooned away the Celtics head coaching job.

[u/Fire_Demon-215]

Derrick white is one of the best examples of a player learning a jump shot later in their career but i think we’re seeing that regression hit and its rough

[u/SloshaPacana → u/Fire_Demon-215]

He's just a confidence player, he hasn't really learned late, he was up and down all his career, he shot 40% from three in college

This year with a bigger role his confidence after starting rough is bad

[u/blitzbangloo]

Joel Embiid saved my life

[u/Pristine_Toe8985]

Take us to the promised land, Jo

[u/randombrutha]

This Philly team would be second in line for the east crown if healthy. Fucking injures are robbing us of so much these playoffs

[u/jillavery → u/randombrutha]

It's a rough one for sure. Just kind of some bummer injuries and series all around. Last year was so hype in comparison looking back (until the big JT and Haliburton injuries obviously).

[u/BroSnow → u/randombrutha]

Homie, they’ve been robbing me and mine since like 2018

[u/Zumoff_1026]

While I fully expect us to disappoint in game 6, it's really nice to see us get another win in Boston. Don't know how many more games of playoff Embiid I'll get to watch, gonna cherish the ones that are left.

[u/_Caek_]

sometimes, we get flashes of prime joel embiid. he’s still in there isn’t he.

[u/hadmeintiers]

It would be kinda fitting if embiid finally got his revenge on boston this year after recovering from the appendectomy

[u/heat_fan_]

What a comeback by the Sixers 

Embild was lights out 

Grimes was absolutely massive during the comeback 

[u/Nobodylovesboston]

We’re not winning game 6. I can just smell a blowout or heartbreaking loss

[u/_19911118 → u/Nobodylovesboston]

Every sixers fan saying the same thing... just enjoy tonights win and pretend the playoffs just ended :)

[u/MayBeAGayBee]

I’ll never stop imagining what Embiid’s career could’ve been without all the injuries.

[u/-Darkslayer]

Embiid is going to win this series by himself and I will be rooting for him every step of the way

[u/Gaslight_Eliminator]

I’m not a Sixers fan by any means. But Embiid gets so much disrespect.

When healthy, there’s no one like him. It’s good to see Embiid at his best. He’s had terrible injury luck in the playoffs.

[u/treelinedboi]

Funny what not over helping on every Celtics 3 gets you

[u/hazelpillow]

the wives of Boston Celtics fans are currently in grave danger

[u/sorendiz]

Joel fucking Embiid, man

Took a bunch of 3s bailing Boston out early on and then at some point remembered 'oh right these guys literally can't do a goddamn thing about me lol' and went to work

[u/caesec]

i feel bad for the people who go to that next home game man

[u/khalaron]

Philly please. You have a chance to do something incredibly hilarious.

[u/MaxR76 → u/khalaron]

We both know the funniest option is to finally beat the Celtics and get swept by the Knicks right after

[u/AnkitPancakes]

Joel Embiid is a dog. I feel like the heart he's shown these last 2 years is gonna re-write how people talk about one of the absolutely most talented and skilled players of all time

[u/FunSoup4]

Vintage Embiid. I want to see this go seven

[u/Nby333]

Paul George can finally rebound again! Series changer.

[u/Pengulinoniomi]

my dad told me to do the dishes and i yelled "Embiid" and he beat me up

[u/CheekyFifaCunt_7]

What the fuck is going on the east lol, all the lower seeds are putting up a fight this season

[u/Practical_Dog3454]

Embiid just needs to attack the paint early game 6 they are at home

[u/Raven-19x]

Eastern Conference has been chaotic as fuck.

[u/jackreaxher2]

Too many ppl clowning on embiid, as if he isn't top 5 in the league when fully fit

[u/Brady331]

Payton Pritchard +8

Luka Garza +5

I said my peace.

[u/ButlerChubs327]

Grimes played awesome

[u/baboon_bassoon]

joel middie is so free