A 'resurrected' Joel Embiid gives life to the Sixers and complicates the Celtics

Philly stays alive in the series. The Philadelphia 76ers avoided elimination with a convincing 113-97 victory over the Boston Celtics in the fifth game, narrowing the deficit to 3-2 and forcing a sixth encounter.

The standout performer was Joel Embiid, who scored 33 points and dished out eight assists, well-supported by Tyrese Maxey, who contributed 25 points and 10 rebounds. Beyond offensive production, the key difference was Philadelphia's defense in the final quarter, holding Boston scoreless in their last 14 attempts.

"You obviously don't want to go home, so you do whatever it takes," explained Embiid after the game. "I think defensively we did a much better job, especially not overhelping like in the last game. And then, on offense, everything is easier when you make shots. Today we scored more than in the last game, and that's a good combination when you want to win."

The game was tied going into the final quarter, with Boston leading 86-85, but the outcome was vastly different from expectations. The 76ers dominated that stretch 28-11, while the Celtics managed a poor 3 for 22 shooting, including 1 for 14 on two-point attempts.

Jayson Tatum, who led Boston with 24 points and 16 rebounds, acknowledged the opponent's merit: "First and foremost, credit to them. They played well. We had some looks we liked, but they didn't drop. Sometimes that happens. Not scoring as you want puts a lot of pressure on the defense, and they made key plays on the other end."

The Celtics' shooting struggles resurfaced at home, a trend seen in their recent playoff appearances. Payton Pritchard also noted, "I don't know. We have to find an explanation. I can't pinpoint exactly what's going on, but it sincerely looks like we play better on the road. We don't want it to be that way. We want to be dominant both at home and away. We have to fix it."

However, attributing the analysis solely to Boston's misfires would be unfair to the level shown by Philadelphia, who bounced back from the tough loss in the fourth game. Embiid made a significant impact, especially in the second half, scoring 18 points on 7 for 10 shooting, attacking the paint more frequently. "He was dominant," summarized Maxey about his teammate.

Embiid, on another level

Embiid himself explained his adjustment: "You have to find the right balance. I played more from the outside at the start of the game, and in the second half, I combined both. But inside, I feel very confident in one-on-one matchups against anyone in this league. I don't think anyone can stop me, so I took what they gave me."

Coach Nick Nurse opted for a very short rotation, essentially with six players, and key contributions from Quentin Grimes off the bench. The starters logged significant minutes, which could weigh on the playoff pace, but it was enough to extend the series. Maxey emphasized the challenge ahead: "It's going to require everything we have. Even more effort than tonight."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Un "resucitado" Joel Embiid le da vida a los Sixers y complica a los Celtics