by Team Del Genio
Wednesday, May 31, 2023The Philadelphia 76ers blew their best chance to end their Eastern Conference semifinals series with Boston in Game 6 when they had the Celtics playing in an elimination game in front of their home fans up 3-2 in this series. The 76ers fell behind early by 15 points before rallying to take the lead, 73-71, going into the fourth quarter. Yet Philadelphia was only able to score 13 points in the final stanza and lost at home, 95-86.
That loss set up the 76ers having to go on the road and attempt to beat Boston in their own building for a Game 7. These Game 7 situations have been a house of horrors for Philadelphia and the leaders of that team. Head coach Doc Rivers had lost nine of the twelve games he has coached in a Game 7. Joel Embiid had lost both his Game 7s in his career. James Harden had lost three of his five Game 7s.
Embiid had only led his team to victory five times in his eighteen games against the Celtics in Boston. The 76ers’ upset victory in Game 5 of this series was the only time in his seven playoff games on the road in Boston that Embiid led his team to victory (Philadelphia’s Game 1 win in Boston was before he returned from injury). Philadelphia did have a 4-1 straight-up record on the road in this postseason at the time going into Game 7. Yet they were only scoring 103.8 points per game in those five contests. However, they had allowed the Celtics to post an offensive rating of 121.1 in those three games.
The 76ers scoring drought in the fourth quarter on Friday is of grave concern. After only scoring only 14 points in the final twelve minutes, that game was just the fourth time all season that Philadelphia failed to score 90 or more points. They did not cover the point spread in their next game in those three previous games this season. That streak continued in Game 7 with the Celtics crushing the 76ers, 112-88, to advance to the Eastern Conference finals. Team Del Genio backers were rewarded with our NBA Atlantic Division Game of the Year winner on Boston for that Game 7 victory.
Philadelphia now finds itself in a transition period. Rivers was let go as their head coach soon after as if he was responsible for the players making only 31 of 83 shots from the field for a 37% field goal percentage. The 76ers missed 29 of their 37 shots from 3-point range for a 22% shooting percentage from 3-point land. Lest anyone forget, Rivers has an NBA championship as a head coach with the Boston Celtics in 2008.
Embiid did not have his best game. He scored only 15 points on 5 of 18 shooting. Harden only contributed 9 points on 3 of 11 shooting and a 1 of 5 mark from 3-point range. Rumors now circulate that Harden will return to Houston to play with the Rockets once again. Harden would be rejoining the team that he was a leader of when they missed 27 straight shots from 3-point land in a Game 7 in the Western Conference finals against Golden State.
Daryl Morey was the general manager of that Houston Rockets team in 2018. He is now President of Basketball Operations of this 76ers team. He seems to be evading any blame or responsibility for the Philadelphia exit from the playoffs. In comparison to Rivers, Morey does not have an NBA championship run as a player, coach, or executive. He has convinced ownership that he is the person that can bring a title to Philadelphia.
Good luck - TDG.
That loss set up the 76ers having to go on the road and attempt to beat Boston in their own building for a Game 7. These Game 7 situations have been a house of horrors for Philadelphia and the leaders of that team. Head coach Doc Rivers had lost nine of the twelve games he has coached in a Game 7. Joel Embiid had lost both his Game 7s in his career. James Harden had lost three of his five Game 7s.
Embiid had only led his team to victory five times in his eighteen games against the Celtics in Boston. The 76ers’ upset victory in Game 5 of this series was the only time in his seven playoff games on the road in Boston that Embiid led his team to victory (Philadelphia’s Game 1 win in Boston was before he returned from injury). Philadelphia did have a 4-1 straight-up record on the road in this postseason at the time going into Game 7. Yet they were only scoring 103.8 points per game in those five contests. However, they had allowed the Celtics to post an offensive rating of 121.1 in those three games.
The 76ers scoring drought in the fourth quarter on Friday is of grave concern. After only scoring only 14 points in the final twelve minutes, that game was just the fourth time all season that Philadelphia failed to score 90 or more points. They did not cover the point spread in their next game in those three previous games this season. That streak continued in Game 7 with the Celtics crushing the 76ers, 112-88, to advance to the Eastern Conference finals. Team Del Genio backers were rewarded with our NBA Atlantic Division Game of the Year winner on Boston for that Game 7 victory.
Philadelphia now finds itself in a transition period. Rivers was let go as their head coach soon after as if he was responsible for the players making only 31 of 83 shots from the field for a 37% field goal percentage. The 76ers missed 29 of their 37 shots from 3-point range for a 22% shooting percentage from 3-point land. Lest anyone forget, Rivers has an NBA championship as a head coach with the Boston Celtics in 2008.
Embiid did not have his best game. He scored only 15 points on 5 of 18 shooting. Harden only contributed 9 points on 3 of 11 shooting and a 1 of 5 mark from 3-point range. Rumors now circulate that Harden will return to Houston to play with the Rockets once again. Harden would be rejoining the team that he was a leader of when they missed 27 straight shots from 3-point land in a Game 7 in the Western Conference finals against Golden State.
Daryl Morey was the general manager of that Houston Rockets team in 2018. He is now President of Basketball Operations of this 76ers team. He seems to be evading any blame or responsibility for the Philadelphia exit from the playoffs. In comparison to Rivers, Morey does not have an NBA championship run as a player, coach, or executive. He has convinced ownership that he is the person that can bring a title to Philadelphia.
Good luck - TDG.
