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Philadelphia 76ers: 3 takeaways from Game 5 vs. Celtics

By Simon Smith

BOSTON, MA - MAY 9: Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics and JJ Redick #17 of the Philadelphia 76ers high five after the game in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 9, 2018 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - MAY 9: Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics and JJ Redick #17 of the Philadelphia 76ers high five after the game in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 9, 2018 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /

1. Sixers’ frontcourt was sublime

While many onlookers raised concerns regarding the frequency of Embiid’s post-ups over the course of the series, it’s undeniable that he was a significant force throughout their second round matchup.

His 27 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks were tremendous for an elimination game, with the Sixers being a +3 while he was on the floor. Over the course of the season, it’s been noted how Embiid has been able to perform at such a high level with next-to-no practice sessions in between games. While this has been done to preserve his knee injury from last season, it has also meant his lack of conditioning has cost him late in games.

This was never more evident in Game 5, where Embiid shot just 1-of-6 for four points in the final period. Furthermore, his missed post-up opportunity with the Sixers down two, and the ensuing turnover with 10 seconds remaining, are classic examples of Embiid’s current inability to finish games at his desired level.

For the series, Embiid averaged 23.0 points and 14.0 rebounds in 37.4 minutes per game, while being a +17 overall despite the 4-1 series loss.

Backing up his terrific Game 4, Saric again excelled in 27 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in a team-high 40 minutes of action. Notably, Saric was a perfect 3-of-3 from downtown, and made a career playoff-high 11 trips to the free throw line. Much like his regular season, Saric improved noticeably as the series progressed, later commenting on the lengthy gap between this series and their five-game series with the Miami Heat:

"“We beat Miami 4 -1, we had some time off, our first game here we were without rhythm, we had a couple of bad plays that second game. Then we lost at home, we didn’t expect that….I think if we start another series against Boston, we can beat them. We started very badly at 3-0, it’s hard to fix.”"

In the bigger picture, all involved in this series for the Sixers are going learn an incredible amount before launching into their summer preparations in the coming months.

Next: Full two-round 2018 NBA Mock Draft

While the loss presents some short-term pain, this series will ultimately represent a long-term gain for the Sixers.