Despite welcoming Joel Embiid back, the Philadelphia 76ers somehow managed to find a way to make his reception as cold as ice. Facing a 2-1 deficit in their first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics, they baffling refused to show up. Right from the beginning, it was crystal clear that they were going to get embarrassed in front of their home crowd to completely relinquish any semblance of control in the series.
As the series shifts back to Boston, Philly faces a strong chance of getting booted out early in the playoffs for the nth time. Be that as it may, the Celtics made the 76ers realize a harsh truth that has eluded the organization for quite some time now –– that their squad is simply not as good as it looks like on paper. In theory, this team is a flat-out mediocrity.
Just a quick glance at the 76ers roster would be plenty enough to yield the instant sentiment that they have one of the most loaded crews in the entire association. However, unlike in years past where raw talent can get you by enough to get meaningful success, this group lacks a real system they can bank on when things get tougher.
The Celtics make the 76ers fully realize a huge flaw they refuse to admit
The inarguable fact is that the 76ers do have a a blitzkrieg of talent on the roster. Embiid is a former Most Valuable Player who is still pretty elite when healthy. Tyrese Maxey emerged as an All-NBA caliber star this season. Paul George, while no longer the kind of player he once was, is still a very good option on the tertiary. VJ Edgecombe is an elite rookie who screams surefire franchise cornerstone.
Yet despite their boatload of talent, the 76ers just can't figure it out. That can easily be tossed up to their lack of continuity as a group. Thanks to the revolving foor of injuries they have had to face since two seasons ago, cultivating a system and eventually, an identity, has become an elusive task for this team.
In contrast, Boston, despite not having Jayson Tatum for most of the season, still managed to remain an elite team thanks to their rock-solid system. On offense, they are comfortable slowing things down and relentlessly attacking to generate open shots, especially from the three-point line. On defense, they have multiple willing defenders who are intelligent enough to implement Joe Mazzulla's switchy schemes.
That firm identity is what is missing from this 76ers squad. All they have is talent, yet their mercurial dynamic prevents them from fully maximizing their innate strengths. No matter what changes the front office brings in, the story will remain the same if there is no continuity.
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