The 76ers Get Eighty-Sixed: Story Of The Series
The Philadelphia 76ers have been eliminated from the 2023 NBA Playoffs
Who needs a four leaf clover when you have a three headed beast?
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Last night the Boston Celtics defeated the Philadelphia 76ers for the final time, clinching their spot in the Eastern Conference finals. It was a hard fought seven game series with the two titans slugging it out in a manner similar to two heavyweights duking it out over twelve rounds. Eventually the dust would settle and one giant would be left standing, and it would be the Celtics.
The series was back and forth from the start. Game 1 came down to the wire, with Philadelphia picking up the win. With MVP Joel Embiid on the sidelines, James Harden stepped up and showed why he has one of those awards himself, scoring 45 of Philly’s 119 points. And he wasn’t alone, as the rest of the team clocked on the court too. Even the Celtics making close to 60 percent of their shots and Jayson Tatum scoring 39 was not enough to give them the win.
Game 2 was a very different story, with the Celtics trouncing the sixers by nearly 40. Despite Embiid returning, the titan of Philadelphia did not make much on an impact. Nor did star running mate James Harden. The two combined to score less than 30. That being said, they weren’t the only stars to struggle, as Jayson Tatum only scored a pitiful 7 points that game, making just one of his 7 shots. Which makes the end result seem even more unbelievable.
The series opener showed us that a superstar performance from one man could win a game. But game 2 proved that there is more than one road to victory.
Game 3 would also end in a blowout win for the Celtics. In the city of brotherly love, Embiid would drop 30 points, pull down 13 rebounds, and swat 4 shots. The rest of the team would do their best to aid him, but Boston would do the same for their lead man, only better. Every single player on the celtics aside from two scored more than ten points, with Tatum leading the way. Flanked by Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart, the green juggernaut would batter Philadelphia, leaving several chips in their armour. At this point though I wondered: did Philadelphia really have a chance?
Philadelphia would seemingly answer my question by winning the next two games. First they’d snag an overtime victory in game four by a single point. In that game, James Harden wound back the clock to game 1 of the series, in which he wound the clock back to his MVP year. In addition to his 42 points he dished out 8 assists and pulled down 8 boards. Perhaps the most welcome surprise was his effort on defense. For a man who has a notorious reputation for being a mammoth on offense and a mouse on defense, Harden logged four steals and a block to go along Embiid’s 34 point game. While the Celtics again turned in a well rounded performance, Philadelphia was content with soaring thanks to their star pairing the way an eagle glides through the air thanks to its two wings. Game 5 would end in a blowout win for Philly as well. Once again, two players would shoulder much of the load, only this time it was Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, the latter of whom is only in his third year. Despite his age the young man is already showing glimmers of all star potential. At this point the sixers were up three games to two and heading back home. Everything seemed to be looking up for Philadelphia.
But then it all came crashing down.
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Through the first three quarters, it looked like game 6 would end the series and send the 76ers to the third round. Jayson Tatum was having one of the worst games in his career at the worst time. Meanwhile Embiid and Maxey were again showing out, with some help from Harden as well. Sure the rest of the team couldn’t seem to buy a bucket, but a win is a win. However, in the fourth quarter Jayson Tatum would flip the switch and start torching the 76ers, rallying the Boston Celtics and ultimately snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. This would set the stage for the deciding game in Boston. The twelfth and final round in a fight so good some wouldn’t mind not seeing it end. But the Miami Heat needed a dance partner. And so, we would go to Boston for the final showdown.
Or so we thought.
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Game 7 would end the series with both a bang, and a whimper. For the Celtics, it would cap off the series with a win that would go down in history as Jayson Tatum scored the most points in a game seven with 51. For Philadelphia it would end in a whimper as the team was beaten by 24 points. In a callous coincidence made possible thanks to fate, that was also the number of points Joel Embiid and James Harden combined for. Truly tragic poetry. Despite their best efforts, Philadelphia had once again been beaten in the second round. So close, yet so far from the promised land as the gates were slammed shut in their faces.
A week ago I predicted this very conundrum, and I wish it didn’t have to be this way. I would never wish to be blind, but sometimes sight can be a curse just as cruel. Though if we’re being honest, a blind man could have seen this coming. James Harden once again fooled fans with flashes of greatness, making them forget his playoff history. Joel Embiid once again could not stay healthy, and the wounded giant became an anchor as the 76ers’ ship sunk. Doc Rivers once again came up short when it mattered most that he didn’t. And Philadelphia once again would see their run end not soon after it began, falling in the second round. As Boston’s Jayson Tatum is championed as the Celtics are one step closer to the championship, the shine on Joel Embiid has dulled. Many have wasted no time in labelling him a false MVP, a false superstar, and a false hero. The same accolades he has chased in his quest for greatness are now weighing him down. This series serves as a somber reminder of an old Shakespearean proverb.
Heavy is the head that wears the crown
