The opening game of that series showed what the 76ers could be. The second revealed what they are. And in Game 3 they showed potential again, but not enough to win a championship.
As much as they’ve upgraded their staff over the last offseason and the trade deadline, these Sixers still have no idea what version of their team will emerge in a big moment. It’s a reality that reared its head Friday night at the Wells Fargo Center in a 114-102 loss to the Boston Celtics. They were booed by the sell-out crowd at the end of Game 3 of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals series, in which Boston regained home field advantage.
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“In order for us to win, and I’ve said it all season, I have to be almost perfect for us to win,” said Sixers center Joel Embiid. “We don’t have much room for error. Everyone has to show up and do their job, and that starts with me.”
With Embiid earning his MVP trophy before the game, the Sixers had momentum that could have led to a 2-1 series advantage. Instead, they compete in Game 4 on Sunday at 3:30 p.m., also at home. The odds are not in the Sixers’ favor as 79% of the conference semifinal winners in Game 3 won the series. But the Sixers still have hope. They know first hand how a series can change.
They lost the second-round series to the Atlanta Hawks in 2021 and the Toronto Raptors in 2019 after leading 2-1. The Sixers lost Games 4 and 5 in both series, so the key is playing better than Friday night. And it all starts with James Harden.
The Sixers point guard didn’t look like the guy who set the Celtics on fire for 45 points in Game 1. Harden finished the tournament with 16 points, 11 assists, six rebounds and five turnovers. The 33-year-old seemed slow and uncertain at times.
Sixers center Joel Embiid blocks Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown’s layup attempt in the first quarter during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinal playoffs on Friday, May 5, 2023 in Philadelphia.. … Read moreYong Kim / Staff photographer
Harden’s lack of speed was noticeable as he couldn’t keep up with the Celtics. He even missed a few shot opportunities. The 10-time All-Star only made 3 of 14 shots. He shoots a 5-on-28 combo in Games 2 and 3.
“I don’t know,” Harden said when asked if he could have snapped some shots he missed in color. “I have to watch the game. But I have pretty good basketball instincts. I know when to score and I know when to fold. So I’m pretty sure a lot of them were the right play.”
So was there anything the Celtics did to affect his game?
“No,” Harden said.
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But Embiid has an idea how to help his teammate after their latest fight.
“You just talk to him and just tell him to keep shooting and be aggressive,” Embiid said. “That’s why you can’t get too high and you can’t get too low. Some nights you’re going to take a lot of shots, a lot of difficult ones. And some nights you won’t make it. So it’s about finding other ways to affect the game.”
Tyrese Maxey also needs to play better for the Sixers to have a chance of winning this series. He had 13 points in 4-for-16 shooting, as well as six rebounds and two blocks.
Sixers guard James Harden scratches his head after the Sixers lost Game 3 to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinal playoffs on Friday, May 5, 2023 in Philadelphia. The Sixers lost to the Celtics 114-102.. … Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
PJ Tucker played with staying power on his 38th birthday, a day he mourned the loss of his mentor Lance Blanks, a former NBA player and manager who died at the age of 56. Tucker had nine points and hit a season-high with three threes. Tobias Harris finished the 3-on-6 shooting with seven points. Georges Niang’s 10 points were highlighted by two second-half threes. And De’Anthony Melton was clutch, finishing with four steals and a block to go with 14 points and eight rebounds.
But for much of the night, the Sixers got a solid performance from Embiid and not much else. The newly crowned MVP finished with game highs of 30 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks.
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But the Sixers were only 100-96 behind after Embiid’s putback with 3 minutes and 51 seconds left. But former six-man Al Horford responded with a three-pointer on subsequent possession to extend the Celtics’ lead to seven points 26 seconds later.
Poor shooting and an inability to get shots in time was too much to overcome. The Sixers shot well from the foul line, going 24 of 27. However, they shot only 39.7% from the field.
Harden said: “We didn’t play well offensively. Simply.”
While Embiid was delighted with his MVP award, a win would have made his night better.
“It’s hard for me to sit here and think about winning that when you’re 2-1 down,” he said, “and you’re just trying to find ways that you can help win games by going tries to bring his teammates with him.
“I think that’s the next step for me, just helping everyone else. … I have to make the right moves. I think I do, but I can’t shoot it for her. So we all have to be on the same page. In order to win, we have to be almost perfect.”