Joel Embiid shifted the focus back to competition when asked about his relationship with the Philadelphia 76ers front office following a Game 4 defeat in Boston.
The center spoke after Philadelphia’s 128-96 loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday, which pushed the series to 3-1 in favor of the top-seeded Eastern Conference contender.
“I mean we’re in the playoffs, we’re 3-1 so that’s what we focus on,” Embiid said, via HoopsHype. “I think we try to do the best job possible to try to make sure that I get back on the court but the focus is on the playoffs trying to find a way to win one at a time.”
The big man returned just 17 days after undergoing an appendectomy, finishing with 26 points in 34 minutes while wearing a protective brace.
Philadelphia started the game by running offense through Embiid, who scored the team’s first eight points and established early paint touches.
Boston responded with perimeter spacing and second-chance production, building a 21-point lead behind a 14-rebound advantage in the first half and a 13-0 edge in second-chance points.
Payton Pritchard led the Celtics with 32 points, including six three-pointers, while Jayson Tatum added 30 points and 11 assists to control tempo and shot quality.
Jaylen Brown contributed 20 points as Boston maintained offensive balance without over-reliance on a single scorer.
Embiid cooled after his fast start, missing seven consecutive shots before converting a three-point play in the third quarter, as the Sixers struggled to generate efficient half-court looks.
“Down 3-1 has been done before,” Embiid said. “Going out in Boston is going to be tough but that’s a really good team.”
The center acknowledged execution issues, pointing to areas the team must correct before Game 5.
“We know what to do well, we know some of the mistakes we made tonight,” Embiid said. “Now it’s on us to try to figure it out how to fix them and go out there and with everything on the line, play the best basketball possible.”
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Tyrese Maxey added 22 points but took only three shots in the first half, reflecting a game plan centered on establishing Embiid early.
Game 5 shifts back to Boston, where the Celtics can close the series and advance to the next round.
