The Philadelphia 76ers aren’t dead just yet.
Led by Joel Embiid’s 33 points and eight assists—just 19 days removed from having an appendectomy—the Sixers staved off elimination, beating the Boston Celtics 113-97 in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference Playoffs matchup.
Tyrese Maxey added 25 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, while Quentin Grimes (18 points) finally gave the Sixers some production from their reserves, as Boston’s bench had been far more impactful through the first four games.
Jayson Tatum (24 points, 16 boards) and Jaylen Brown (22 points) led the way for Boston, though the Celtics had a rough night shooting beyond the arc (11-of-39, 28 percent), also a factor in the team’s Game 2 loss.
Still, this was more about the Sixers playing up to their potential and obliterating the Celtics in the fourth quarter, outscoring them 28-11 in the final frame. That didn’t go unnoticed on social media:
It has been a rare occurence that the Sixers have had the full complement of Embiid, Maxey and Paul George on the court together this season, and a Game 4 no-show by the team left little hope that the Sixers could claw their way back into this series.
But Tuesday was a reminder of the potential the Sixers have when at full strength. Granted, they were aided by a rough shooting night from Boston, but there’s little doubting Philly’s overall talent.
Whether that will be enough to remain alive for a second straight game, when the series returns to Philadelphia for Game 6 on Thursday night, remains to be seen.
