Sixers need healthy Embiid to have any chance vs. Celtics
From general manager Elton Brand’s preseason mandate he expected the 76ers to “win big” to coach Brett Brown’s confidence his roster was suited for a deep playoff run, the championship outlook was high in Philadelphia.
Look at the 76ers now. All-Star guard Ben Simmons is out indefinitely after left knee surgery and All-Star center Joel Embiid has a banged-up right hand and sore left knee. Al Horford was benched for a spell and underachieved in his first season on the 76ers.
That added up to a mediocre 42-30 finish and the sixth seed in the Eastern
Conference, far below what the Sixers expected at the outset.
After two straight trips to the East semifinals, the Sixers are the betting underdog when the series opens against the Boston Celtics (48-24). Game 1 is Monday.
This postseason could surely be Brown’s last stand in Philly after seven seasons if the Sixers can’t survive the injuries and often-mismatched roster to make a deep postseason run.
His public optimism high, Brown believed there’s something left in the 76ers — even without Simmons.
“I believe we are built for the playoffs,” Brown said. “We’ve been beaten up. Now is our moment. Now is our time to be recognized.”
For all his faults, losing a defensive stopper in Simmons was a massive blow for an organization that has never put it all together under Brown’s watch. Simmons averaged 16.4 points, 8.0 assists and 7.8 rebounds this season, and his 35.4 minutes per game led the 76ers.
“There’s a different path than there used to be with Ben but there is a path,” Brown said.
Embiid missed one game with a sore left knee and hurt his right hand this week but played 22 minutes and scored 14 points in the finale on Friday.
“We clearly need a healthy Joel Embiid,” Brown said. “Nobody denies that. We can’t dismiss that.”
The Celtics are ready to pounce.