Joel Embiid, James Harden produce lackluster performance as Sixers lose Game 7

BOSTON — The 76ers kept telling us this team was different.

Even when they underachieved and weaknesses were exposed, the Sixers kept saying this team was special.

Players, coach Doc Rivers and president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said this squad was capable of winning an NBA title. They said it confidently.

But in reality, while they might be better, they just were not good enough to get out of the second round. On Sunday afternoon, they suffered a 112-88 loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at TD Garden. Boston’s Jayson Tatum scored 51 points to lead his team to the victory.

James Harden and Joel Embiid were horrible. Harden had nine points, seven assists and six rebounds, and he made just 3 of 11 shots, including 1 of 5 three-pointers. In the biggest game of the season, Harden, 33, looked like the game had passed him by.

Embiid had 15 points on 5-for-18 shooting while missing all four of his three-pointer attempts. He led the Sixers with eight rebounds and two blocks. However, he spent most of the game on the perimeter. The MVP, who is playing with a sprained LCL, looked fatigued.

The Sixers’ star duo and their fellow other starters were subbed out of the game with their team down 30 with 3 minutes, 52 seconds left. The Celtics broke the game wide open with a 33-10 scoring advantage in the third quarter.

The Sixers have lost in the second round for the third consecutive season and fifth time in six seasons. They were swept by the Celtics in the first round of the 2020 playoffs.

They have now failed to win a second-round series for the 12th time in the franchise’s last 13 appearances, dating back to 1986. They beat the Toronto Raptors in seven games in the conference semis in 2001 en route to finish as NBA Finals runners-up.

The franchise is also 6-12 all-time in Game 7s, losing four straight. And the Sixers are 1-9 in road Game 7s. And the numbers don’t look much better for Rivers. His record in series-clinching game dropped to 17-33. He has lost 10 straight second-round close-out games.

Harden’s struggles

This was a rough game for Harden.

The Sixers point guard came into the contest with a history of poor Game 7 performances. And this one will go down as one of the worst.

Harden had more airballs (three) than made baskets (two) in the first half. He also had no lift on his jumpers and looked a step too slow. He ended up with six points on 2-for-8 shooting along with six assists and five rebounds in the first half.

However, his Flagrant One foul in the first half was a momentum killer. Harden lost the ball while driving to the basket with the 35-27 at the 8-minute, 26-second mark of the second quarter. On the play, he extended his right arm back and hit Jaylen Brown in the face. That flagrant foul sparked an 8-0 run that enabled the Celtics to knot the score at 35.

Brown later received a double technical foul for screaming something at the Sixers’ bench. He was upset when Georges Niang, who was on the bench, reached out and grabbed his leg. The action prevented Brown from getting back on defense. He yelled at the Sixers bench in response and both players received double technicals.

The Celtics opened up a nine-point lead early in the third quarter. That’s when Harden made his first three-pointer make it a 65-58 game with 8:02 remaining in the quarter. But the Celtics responded with an 6-0 run, forcing Rivers to call a timeout with 6:14 left in the quarter.

Tucker’s hot start

The Sixers took a 29-23 lead into the second quarter thanks in large part to P.J. Tucker.

The power forward, who sat long stretches in Game 6, showed early on why he’s vital to Philly’s success.

In addition to grabbing two rebounds and playing solid defense, Tucker took advantage of the Celtics leaving him wide open.

He made 4 of 6 shooting — including 3 of 5 three-pointers — to finish with 11 first-quarter points. Those three-pointers tied a season high for threes. Tucker, however, only got one shot the rest of the game.

Rivers can’t overcome pressure

The coach was asked before the game if he feels pressure before Game 7.

“Oh, yeah. Everybody does,” he said. “I hate to be Billie Jean King, but it is a privilege. It’s an honor to get teams to these places. It really is. It’s funny, there are people, your friends who look at you like ‘Why do you like this?’ and this is what it’s about.

“You put yourself out there because you wanna win and you know if you do that, you have to put yourself in these situations over and over and over again and it’s worth it. It’s worth it and that’s what I tell my guys.”

Unfortunately for him, the Sixers didn’t meet the moment.

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