The Sixers made franchise history Sunday night, defeating the Boston Celtics 109–100 in Game 7 to complete their first-ever comeback from a 3–1 series deficit.
Here’s what stood out.
Joel Embiid has lost to the Celtics more than he cares to discuss. Having been eliminated by Boston four times in his career, Embiid had made it clear how sick he was of losing to the Celtics.
“I’ve been playing these guys for so long,” Embiid said after Game 6. “I’m tired of losing to them.”
The Boston Celtics had pushed their series lead to 3-1 at one point. The Sixers pushed back to force a Game 7, but still faced an uphill climb not only against the second seed in the Eastern Conference but also against historical odds, as the Celtics had not blown a 3-1 series lead in their nearly 80-year history and the Sixers had never won a series after trailing 3-1.
None of that mattered, though. Since Embiid returned, the Sixers have simply taken the series one game at a time.
Embiid had previously played in three Game 7 matchups, losing all three. Between the losses to Boston and in Game 7s, he was simply tired of losing. Putting aside history, the team’s regular-season inconsistencies, and the fact that he is still just three weeks removed from appendicitis, Embiid was focused on the game at hand, setting the tone for the Sixers, forcing the Celtics into uncomfortable situations, and helping Philadelphia to gain an early advantage in Boston.
Scoring 19 along with five rebounds and five assists by the half, Embiid led the way to a five-point lead for Philadelphia going into the third quarter. Another 15 points in the second half, along with seven rebounds and Embiid had amassed one of his most impressive statistical performances he’s ever seen in the postseason.
Come the fourth quarter, as Boston settled into a desperate zone defense, Embiid passed the torch to Tyrese Maxey, who took on the bulk of the scoring load, finishing the quarter with 10 points, all scored in the final half of the fourth quarter.
Maxey finished with 30 total points, helping carry the load in this game as the Sixers pulled off a 109-100 Game 7 victory and a shocking first-round upset over the No. 2 seed Boston Celtics.
Yes, Jayson Tatum was out, but Paul George was sick, Kelly Oubre and Tyrese Maxey faced early foul trouble, and Embiid himself had only recently returned from an abdominal surgical procedure and suffered multiple blows directly to his knees throughout the night. For years, it’s been said that the best ability is availability. Well, Joel Embiid was far more than just “available” in this game, leading the Sixers to their most impressive postseason win in the Process era.
The Sixers will travel to New York on Monday to face the Knicks as the second round of the NBA playoffs begins. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. as the Sixers look forward to yet another postseason matchup against a divisional rival.
Unless otherwise stated, all stats included in this article are via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass, Basketball Reference or Team Rankings. All salary information via Spotrac.
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