A run of defeats has halted the Philadelphia 76ers’ rapid start to the season. The Indiana Pacers dealt the first blow, and the Boston Celtics dealt the second one tonight. After the game, Joel Embiid was forced to concede that the Celtics were the best team in the NBA.
It was particularly difficult to play Indiana twice in a row and then the league’s top club on a back-to-back basis. But offer no justifications. I have to improve, and we both must.”
For the entirety of his prime, Embiid has suffered at the hands of the Celtics in the Eastern Conference. Boston is yet to lose to Philadelphia in a playoff series in the Embiid era, even with the 76ers enjoying a 3-2 lead in the 2023 Playoffs.
With the additions the Celtucs made this summer, they’re looking like the runaway favorites in the East. The 76ers have had a strong start to the season, but their roster is simply not talented enough to compete with the all-star lineup the Celtics have put together.
Embiid has always had deep admiration or contempt for the Celtics. The entire time he’s been competing among the best players in the league, he’s never been able to say that the 76ers are better than the Celtics. Even half a decade ago, Embiid dismissed the hopes of a Celtics-76ers rivalry because Boston kept kicking their behinds.
“This is not a rivalry. I don’t know our record against them, but it’s pretty bad. They always kick our ass.”
Embiid’s professional record against the Celtics has gotten much better over the years. After starting his career 1-8 against the Celtics, the record now stands at 11-13. This gives the Celtics the slight edge, but Embiid could have realistically tied the records up at 12-12 if the 76ers won tonight. He scored 20 points but it wasn’t enough to change the final score, as the Celtics won 117-107.
The 76ers have already beaten the Celtics once this season, with the franchise hoping that they can repeat that magic in future matchups against this behemoth Celtics squad.
After trading James Harden away, the 76ers find themselves with a bloated roster led by Tyrese Maxey and Embiid. Maxey has had a bright start to the season, averaging 27.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 6.7 assists. However, his performance was disappointing tonight. The 76ers have a lack of primary offensive options beyond Maxey and it is a problem. This can be addressed with the pile of assets they’re sitting on.
They can either go the route of pursuing Zach LaVine, but recent reports make that pairing unlikely. If the offense isn’t what they’re looking to reinforce, they could finally become the team to free OG Anunoby from Toronto. There are plenty of options, but Morey will focus on finding the right piece until February because he cannot risk a failed move with the rumors of Embiid wanting out.
It is ideal for the 76ers to execute their version of “pre-agency” and use their assets to acquire players they will feel comfortable constructing the future around. Making no trades and hoping for cap space to save them in the summer will not work.
