Almost nothing went right for the 76ers on Sunday in TD Garden, as they got smoked by the Celtics, 123-92, in Game One of their first-round playoff series. Watching Adem Bona and Andre Drummond take turns struggling, getting in foul trouble, and getting played off the floor, it was as clear as ever that Philly needs Joel Embiid to have any hope of making this series competitive.
In that regard, they got some good news on Monday when it was announced that the former MVP has begun a strength and conditioning program back in Philadelphia, the first sign of any real physical activity since Embiid underwent emergency appendectomy surgery on April 9th.
The fact that he’s still in Philly makes it very unlikely that he’ll suddenly be able to play in Game Two in Boston on Tuesday night, but Tony Jones of the Athletic notes that the Sixers are hoping he can play at some point during this series.
Obviously, that’s going to depend, in part, on how long the Sixers can extend this series. If Sunday’s game was any sign, the answer may not be very long, and it seems hard to imagine Embiid would rush back and play at less than 100% only to see his team get swept in embarrassing fashion.
Sixers drawing dead without Embiid
As unreliable as Embiid has been, he’s still by far the best chance the Sixers have got. He played in fewer than half the team’s games this season, but did so, mostly, at a high level. The hope was that by giving him more rest and recovery time, he’d finally be available and fresh for a playoff run.
It seemed like things were actually going to work out as Embiid came back from injury, as Paul George returned from a suspension down the stretch, and everything was clicking at the right time for once. But then, news came out about the appendicitis and the emergency surgery in the final week of the regular season, and Philly’s plans were completely derailed.
Even with Joel in the lineup, this would be a tall ask for the Sixers, but he’d give them a fighting chance. He’s not the rim protector he once was, but his presence in the paint can still make a difference on that end. On offense, he’s a true hub who would truly test the Celtics’ big men, and if nothing else, take away a lot of attention from Tyrese Maxey and Paul George.
As it stands, the Celtics have too many answers for this shorthanded team. This update is just all the more reason why Boston needs to keep their focus, continue dominating, and make sure this is a very short series, giving Philly and Embiid no reason to believe.
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