The Philadelphia 76ers fell behind 2-0 in the team’s first round playoff series against vaunted rival the Boston Celtics on Wednesday evening. Though Joel Embiid and the Sixers zoomed out to a fast start in the first quarter, the tables were quickly turned by Boston, who went up by 28 at one point.
The 76ers’ desultory effort – as well as the game’s final score – was on full display in this reaction from franchise superstar Joel Embiid:
Tough sight for Sixers fans 😕 pic.twitter.com/02J8McG1Px
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) August 20, 2020
As you can see, Embiid couldn’t bear to look at the massacre that was occurring on the court. The 76ers, led by Embiid’s 34 points and 10 rebounds in 34 minutes, raced out to a 14-point advantage in the first quarter, and Philly outscored the Celtics by 6 points in that quarter.
That was the end of the good times for Philly, however. In the following three quarters, the Celtics outscored the 76ers by a staggering 101-68 margin. Including a dominant 33-18 showing in what was a decisive third quarter.
Beyond Embiid’s typical brilliance, only three other 76ers players scored in double figures, with the second-highest scorer on the team being Josh Richardson with 18 points. That lack of depth does not scream “championship-caliber,” and the team’s lack of passers without Ben Simmons meant that Embiid was forced into a bevy of tough jumpers and a restricted area that was clogged with long, active – and talented – Celtics defenders.
Though the series is not officially over, the 76ers feel poorly constructed and aren't playing with a lot of chemistry right now. Stranger things have happened though, so let’s not count a team led by one of the most talented big men in the league out just yet.
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