Do the 76ers have a chance against the Celtics if they prolong the series and get Joel Embiid back?

BOSTON — As the door to the Philadelphia 76ers’ locker room opened in the bowels of TD Garden, following a 111-97 victory over the host Celtics, evening the first-round playoff series 1-1, Trendon Watford welcomed an oncoming horde of media members.

“I told you,” he said, “You’re gonna get some good s*** to write about.”

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He was right. The Sixers had given us something to consider. The seventh seed, if it can prolong this series, might just have a chance, and his name is Joel Embiid. The one-time MVP has been sidelined since April 9, ever since his appendectomy.

“Godspeed, brother,” said Sixers wing Kelly Oubre Jr., who made two of his team’s 19 3-pointers on the night, finishing with 12 points and 5 rebounds. “But at the end of the day it would be the biggest lift we could ask for right now. He’s such a talent, and he’s our guy. Praying for his recovery. Hope everything’s going well back at home.”

The 76ers will return to Philadelphia, where Embiid is recovering, having stolen one of two games in Boston. Having bounced back from a 32-point blowout in Game 1 to force the issue: Could the undermanned Sixers steal another one at home in Game 3 or 4, forcing a Game 6 in the City of Brotherly Love on April 30, when Embiid would be three weeks removed from surgery? The Sixers aren’t saying Embiid will be back.

They also aren’t saying he won’t be.

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“We’re gonna go home and check on him,” added Oubre, the 11-year veteran. “Everybody gonna huddle around him and say a prayer, so he can come back. I think he’s doing everything he possibly can, so it’d be the biggest lift we could ask for.”

Well, the biggest one since rookie VJ Edgecombe became the youngest player ever to record 30 points and 10 rebounds in a playoff game on Tuesday. The Rookie of the Year finalist made every shot the Celtics gave him, and they gave him a lot, if only because they had to collapse their defense onto Tyrese Maxey (29 points, 9 assists).

“You did that?” George asked Edgecombe, congratulating the rookie.

“He’s been impressive all season long,” added George. “To put…

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Author : Ben Rohrbach

Publish date : 2026-04-22 06:04:00

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