Joel Embiid has established himself as one of the league’s top talents. In 2023, he was crowned the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), solidifying his status as an elite player in the league. However, despite Embiid’s individual accolades and remarkable career, doubts have emerged about his team’s recent form as they are going through a challenging stretch in the 2023 season.
After suffering their second consecutive loss, Embiid candidly acknowledged the Boston Celtics as a supreme force in the NBA. The Celtics have consistently maintained a high level of performance, making them a formidable opponent for any team in the league, and Embiid certainly didn’t shy away from acknowledging them.
Joel Embiid concedes Celtics’ supremacy
Joel Embiid, the star player of the Philadelphia 76ers, has conceded the supremacy of the Boston Celtics in the NBA. Throughout his career, Joel Embiid has held a mix of deep admiration and contempt for the Celtics. While competing among the best players in the league, he has never been able to claim that the 76ers are better than their fierce rivals.
“It was tough, especially playing Indiana twice and then, on a back-to-back, playing the best team in the league. But no excuses. We have to be better and I have to be better, ” he said in a recent post-match interview.
Embiid’s disdain for the Celtics was evident even half a decade ago when he dismissed the hopes of a Celtics-76ers rivalry, citing Boston’s domination over Philadelphia. “This is not a rivalry. I don’t know our record against them, but it’s pretty bad. They always kick our ass,” he stated.
However, Joel Embiid’s professional record against the Celtics has gradually improved over the years. After a rough start of 1-8 against Boston, his record now stands at 11-13. While the Celtics still hold a slight edge, Joel Embiid could have evened the scores at 12-12 if the 76ers had emerged victorious in their recent encounter. Despite scoring 20 points, Joel Embiid’s efforts fell short as the Celtics triumphed with a final score of 117-107.
Having already secured a win against the Celtics earlier this season, the 76ers are hopeful that they can recreate that success in future matchups against this formidable Celtics squad. Joel Embiid, acknowledging the Celtics as the league’s best team, emphasized their dominance following the recent 117-107 defeat, which led to their consecutive defeats this season.
Sixers’ fatigue evident in back-to-back losses
The Philadelphia Sixers couldn’t salvage their energy during back-to-back game fixtures and suffered consecutive losses. The task seemed daunting from the start, as the Sixers anticipated a schedule loss. However, a glimmer of hope emerged when it was announced that the Boston Celtics would be missing Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis. Unfortunately for them, the Celtics quickly dashed that hope by establishing a dominating lead with a 27-8 run in the first quarter.
Though the Sixers managed to regain control during the second quarter, the game remained tightly contested throughout the second half. Nevertheless, with approximately four minutes remaining, the Celtics surged ahead and ultimately sealed the victory, prevailing with a final score of 117-107. Jayson Tatum delivered an outstanding performance, leading all scorers with 29 points, while Jrue Holiday contributed 18 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists.
Post-game, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse remarked on the physicality of the game, stressing that their ability to execute was hindered.
“It’s not always easy coming off a back-to-back like that and it took us a minute to get into the game. I think that we gave up some easy offense and dug ourselves a hole.” Coming off a back-to-back game, the Sixers struggled to find their rhythm, allowing the Celtics to capitalize on easy offense and build an early advantage.
Joel Embiid, who played despite being listed with left hip soreness for the second consecutive game, had a rough outing. In his 34 minutes on the court, Embiid had a negative plus-minus rating of -25. Additionally, Philadelphia’s prolific offense faltered, only tallying 49 points in the second half after a formidable 36-point second quarter.
The Sixers’ fatigue was undeniable in this matchup, as they fought an uphill battle against the Celtics. With lessons learned, they hope to bounce back stronger and more composed in their next outing.
