“Without Joel Embiid, No Way Celtics Lose to This Team. EVER”: Shaquille O’Neal Is Critical on Jayson Tatum and Co’s Game 1 Loss

Last year’s conference champions and the top contenders of the East right now, the Boston Celtics, have lost a game against the Philadelphia 76ers playing without Joel Embiid leaving fans and experts, including Shaquille O’Neal, in utter disbelief and disappointment.

This 119-115 defeat at TD Garden came at the expense of James Harden‘s 45-point explosion, who had his highest-scoring game since the 2020 Playoffs, and the first 40-point outing in more than 2 years.

It was a complete destruction of the Boston team’s game plan if there was one to start with.

Shaquille O’Neal criticizes Celtics for letting a Sixers team without Joel Embiid beat them

Although The Diesel had predicted a 35-point outing for Harden, 25ish for Tyrese Maxey, and 20ish for Tobias Harris for Game 1, he was not expecting the Celtics to lose this game without Embiid in it.

In the post-game analysis on NBA on TNT he talked with Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, and Kenny Smith about what went wrong with Jayson Tatum and Co.

“It’s no way without Joel Embiid, you’re [Celtics] supposed to lose to this [Sixers] team. EVER,” emphasized Shaq on the Inside the NBA post-game show.

“It’s no way without Joel Embiid, you’re supposed to lose to this team. EVER.” @SHAQ reacts to Philly’s stunning Game 1 win in Boston pic.twitter.com/oejPNC1eqh

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 2, 2023

The Sixers can build on this away win and run with it

We have seen James Harden lead his team deep into the Playoffs in a much tighter Western Conference playing against teams of superstars before when he was playing with the Rockets.

We must not forget that this 3x assist leader was also a 3x scoring champ and an MVP before he decide to take an inferior role, first with the Nets and now with the Sixers.

Don’t be surprised if he brings it again in Game 2. And if Embiid is out for the next one as well, The Beard will have to be at his best to keep the Sixers in the game because the Celtics will be in vengeance mode.

About the author

Akash Murty

An Electrical and Electronics Engineer by degree, Akash Murty is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. Previously a Software Engineer, Murty couldn’t keep himself away from sports, and his knack for writing and putting his opinion forward brought him to the TSR. A big Soccer enthusiast, his interest in basketball developed late, as he got access to a hoop for the first time at 17. Following this, he started watching basketball at the 2012 Olympics, which transitioned to NBA, and he became a fan of the game as he watched LeBron James dominate the league. Him being an avid learner of the game and ritually following the league for around a decade, he now writes articles ranging from throwbacks, and live game reports, to gossip. LA Lakers are his favourite basketball team, while Chelsea has his heart in football. He also likes travelling, reading fiction, and sometimes cooking.

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