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.
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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.
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.
