Embiid-led 76ers beat Boston to avoid NBA playoff exit
Joel Embiid sparked the Philadelphia 76ers over Boston to avoid being eliminated from the NBA playoffs (Maddie Meyer) Joel Embiid scored 33 points and made eight assists to spark Philadelphia over the Boston Celtics 113-97 on Tuesday, keeping the 76ers from being eliminated in the NBA playoffs. A dominant second half by the big man from Cameroon, in just his second game back after an April 9 emergency appendectomy, enabled the Sixers to pull within 3-2 in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference first round playoff matchup. "It's kind of hard.
I only had once chance to go up and back (on the court) before I came back," Embiid said. "Using this game and last game to kind of get back into it. "I found my rhythm in the second half.
We adjusted some stuff at halftime. I feel OK. I feel good.
We got a win. That's all that matters. " The series shifts back to Philadelphia for game six on Thursday with a seventh game, if needed, in Boston on Saturday.
"We did our job," Embiid said. "We're going to need everybody to come back to Boston. " Tyrese Maxey added 25 points and 10 rebounds for the 76ers, who also had 16 points and nine rebounds from Paul George.