The Philadelphia 76ers entered Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics with a glimmer of optimism. And the Celtics did flush it out after dismantling the Sixers 128-96, extending their series lead to 3-1 and pushing Philly to the brink of elimination.
Facing a must-win Game 4 on their home floor with Joel Embiid back in the lineup, the Sixers produced what head coach Nick Nurse called a "disappointing" and "way out of character" performance.
After a competitive Game 3 loss that offered hope, Philadelphia fell flat from the opening tip on Sunday. The Celtics stormed out to a 16-point lead after the first quarter, a deficit the Sixers never came close to overcoming. Nurse, visibly frustrated, could not explain his team’s lack of fight, particularly in the most fundamental areas of the game.
"I don't know why we couldn't block out better or rebound better or move better on defense or whatever," Nurse said after the game. "It's hard to watch and it's hard to explain, too."
Nurse also addressed his team's hesitation from beyond the arc despite having good shooting opportunities.
“We gotta generate more threes and take 'em. And again, we generated a bunch of good ones early. We get a couple wide open in the corner, then we get a little gun-shy, and we just can't do that. If you miss three in a row, and the next player has a corner three, you gotta take 'em. I think that also went into it a little bit."
The statistical breakdown revealed the root of Nurse's frustration. While Boston rained down 24 three-pointers, the Celtics hauled in 51 total rebounds, including 14 on the offensive end. In stark contrast, the Sixers managed just 30 rebounds all game. That discrepancy in hustle and physicality turned a potential comeback into a blowout.
"They were more aggressive, quicker, wanted to chase them down more than we did," Nurse said, explaining Boston's rebounding advantage. "Just didn't seem like we could get bodies on them… It was a huge problem."
After sitting out the first three games, Joel Embiid made his long-awaited return on Sunday. He wasted no time making his presence felt, delivering a double-double with 26 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and a blocked shot. He was efficient inside, converting over 53% of his two-point attempts, and drew nine fouls. However, even the big man's comeback couldn't save Philadelphia from a humiliating home defeat.
Embiid's return, which was supposed to change the equation, ultimately became a footnote in a lopsided defeat. Instead, the entire team crumbled around their star. Nurse expressed bewilderment at his squad's lack of physicality, noting they could not block out, rebound, or move on defense.
The Sixers now have their backs firmly against the wall. They face a must-win Game 5 on Tuesday night. For the Sixers to force a Game 6, they will need to solve the very problem Nurse identified.
MORE: Joel Embiid returns, but Sixers collapse in Game 4 loss to Celtics
