Oh. My. Gosh. The Sixers are ALIVE! I got my bare minimum as a fan. The solid Play-In win and now they pushed the Celtics to six games.
But now that Game 6 is here... I want MORE from the Sixers.
This team is confusing like it is nearly every year. I speak on Joel Embiid so much, but that's how valuable he is and how great he is. His inconsistent availability is tragic and depressing at times. I did mention the possibility prior to Game 5 that maybe the Sixers are better without him, and perhaps I am a bit mistaken. It's just been really hard to read this situation with him. Since he won his MVP in 2022-23 he's played in an average of 32 regular games the next three seasons. He's been getting older and staying injured, I couldn't, and still partially can't assume he's still the same Embiid forever. I literally just don't have enough evidence. Even if the numbers look solid, the lack of volume make those numbers a bit questionable I feel. Father Time is undefeated.
Well, for one big game in these playoffs Embiid showed he's still a threat. He dropped 33 points and dished out 8 assists in a crucial Game 5 victory over the Celtics in this First Round of action! I literally have no clue what to think. The first game he returns the Sixers get crushed, this next game the Sixers end up winning. The Sixers did get crushed and win a game without Embiid too.
I guess I'm just firmly in the middle of 'Embiid's peak is gone, he's becoming washed', and 'Embiid is still great'. It's a really strange place to be in as a fan but let's just live in the moment and go with it!
Maybe this mysterious nature of Embiid and the roster will end up impacting opponents as well, and put them in a mental blender. It must be confusing never knowing what to expect from this team and Embiid. I hate to always be hesitant and flip-flop with Embiid, I hope he surpasses my expectations, destroys my doubts, and makes me look stupid for questioning his ability to lead this team to greatness!
Now Embiid wasn't the only player who helped the team win on Tuesday. The Sixers have proven that they're more than just Joel Embiid at this point. But Embiid is the longest-tenured Sixer currently on the team and he's a former MVP, I'm gonna talk about the guy.
Tyrese Maxey scored an efficient 25 points as well as grabbing 10 rebounds. Paul George hovered around triple-double territory as well and was sound defensively. George had 16 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals. V.J. Edgecombe only dropped 10 points but they were helpful, he drained three 3's! Quentin Grimes showed up in a big way and dropped 18 critical points and was 4-7 from three point range! Sheesh, these guys need to stay hot!
As happy as I am the series has gone to six, which was my bare minimum desire, it would be nice to not see the Sixers get bounced at home in Philadelphia. It would be nice to get a home playoff win. It would be nice to push the series to seven games. It would be nice to win the series!
For now though, the mission is simple:
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The Sixers are thinking on their feet, adapting on their feet. Even though they're down in the series, they do have a certain swagger about them. It's up in the air right now if they're actually better than the Celtics, but they have established that they can certainly hang with them!
Game starts in roughly nine hours or so....
I am so glad I'm STILL writing about the Sixers!!! It has been stressful at times, but fun too!