Just a few days ago, the Philadelphia 76ers were up 3-2 in the series against Boston with a chance to close them out on their own home court. But when the Sixers lost that game, despite a horrendous shooting performance from Jayson Tatum in the first half, it ended up being a sign of things to come.
In Game 7 on Sunday, in the aftermath of a close-knit first half, the 76ers followed it up with a historically bad third quarter, getting outscored by 23 points and only scoring 10 in total through 12 minutes of play. By the end of the game, the outcome was embarrassingly lopsided, and the NBA world spared no expense to rip the Sixers to shreds.
76er fans, what changes do you want to see this offseason?
— KENNY BEECHAM (@KOT4Q) May 14, 2023
This is an embarrassing performance from Joel Embiid. No way around it.
— Michael K-B (@therealmikekb) May 14, 2023
This is some truly, truly dreadful stuff from Joel Embiid and James Harden.
— Rich Hofmann (@rich_hofmann) May 14, 2023
Watching this beatdown, I can't help think back to Game 6. The Sixers blew their golden opportunity, on their home court.
— Rich Hofmann (@rich_hofmann) May 14, 2023
The Sixers look CLUELESS and like they don't belong on this stage.
— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) May 14, 2023
We have to give credit to Jayson Tatum, who absolutely torched Philly with 51 points and 13 rebounds in the game. He was unstoppable and proved that he was the best player on the floor… even over the newly crowned MVP.
The NBA really made Embiid the MVP… Tatum has something to say about that pic.twitter.com/p4blViLCzu
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) May 14, 2023
Harden and Embiid are SCARED!!! Ain’t no other way around it. They should be EMBARRASSED
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) May 14, 2023
Jayson Tatum just beat and gave the league MVP 51 in a Game 7, they lie and say Embiid is better but will give Embiid another pass for going out sorry this series when he was up 3-2
— 🦇 (@EasyCantMiss) May 14, 2023
The 2023 NBA playoff will move on with the same final four that we saw in the NBA bubble. No matter who comes out on top, things are sure to get even more interesting as the end draws near.
For the 76ers, this brutal playoff defeat is likely the final nail in the coffin for this version of the team. We can expect some changes to be made, whether it’s Doc Rivers being replaced or a total rebuild entirely. There’s just no coming back from this if you’re the Sixers, especially given the team’s history of flaming out in the playoffs.
What’s Next For Joel Embiid?
Ironically, Joel Embiid winning the MVP has drawn more attention to his postseason struggles. In this game, he only scored 15 points on 27% shooting and was a far cry from the player we saw dominate the league for months.
After his latest collapse, will he want to stay in Philly? If James Harden leaves, what will stop Embiid from pulling the plug and requesting a trade somewhere else?
“There have been whispers that Joel Embiid could want out of Philadelphia if free-agent-to-be James Harden goes back to the Rockets as has been rumored,” Zach Braziller of The New York Post writes.
Only time will tell how the pieces fall into place, but this summer could be huge for the NBA if Embiid shows that he’s growing restless in his situation. Despite his failures, he’s still a player that can change the entire NBA hierarchy if he’s on the right team…
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