By T.A. May 19, 2023
From hindsight it was expected that Doc Rivers will exit the 76ers if they don’t win a chip, However what was not expected was how two of the top 10 players in the NBA( Joel Embiid and James Harden) will combine for a total 24 points in playing a median of 40 minutes in season deciding game.
The best time for the 76ers to have won a ring was this season. Doc Rivers will have to go under the bus for the 76ers team but Embiid has an equal share for not meeting standards at the greatest demands for an exceptional performance.
It was also ironic when Joel Embiid made derogatory shades towards his teammates saying: “Me and James cant win it alone.” This statement does not align with how the leading scorer in the 76ers(in their elimination game) team was Tobias Harris. James Harden was quite phenomenal in the series in the entirety. James Harden is the only reason the 76ers won game 1. James Harden deserves his props and the whole NBA acknowledges that.
Joel Embiid however may need more of the Mamba mentality to succeed at a high level especially when needed the most. That’s what makes players like Jimmy Butler great. A player that shows up when needed the most is the exemplification of greatness. Nothing you do in the regular season matters if you chicken out of the playoffs.
The future of the 76ers at this point is also strongly attached to Tyrese Maxey. With James Harden potentially going back to the Rockets, Tyrese should have more playing time and playmaking opportunities.
From Hindsight, the 76ers would have been a better team to face the Miami Heat in the playoffs. The 76ers were a much better team than the Celtics and Doc Rivers doesn’t deserve all the blame. Joel should be accountable too!
