The battle between the Celtics and the 76ers that just ended was one of the best matchups of the season, and it really tasted like an Eastern Conference.
The 76ers led for the first three quarters, leading by as many as 15 points at most time, and were run 22-2 by the Celtics in the second half of the third quarter, and Horford hit four open three-pointers in a single quarter to lead the team directly to the lead.
Although the 76ers equalized again in the final minute with the individual abilities of Embiid and Harden, Rivers sent the shortest Melton in the game to defend Tatum, only to be killed by Tatum directly with a three-pointer.
In the last 1.7 seconds, Embiid took the ball and shot a long-range three-pointer, which fell directly into the basket, but unfortunately it had timed out, and the 76ers lost 107-110.
Throughout the game, Embiid played MVP-level dominance, shooting 12 of 21 from the field, making crazy kills in the box, winning 18 free throws, slashing 42 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks, almost single-handedly withstanding the game. Nevertheless, in the end it was lost ....
The 76ers started well today, and the deadliest point of the turnaround was that the bench was exploded, and after the game, the 76ers bench scored only 12 points, while White alone contributed 18 points.
The biggest war criminal who lost today is the substitute core Maxi....
In the whole game, Maxi played 25 minutes, shooting 4 of 10 and 0 of 2 three-pointers, only 8 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists, plus or minus -11. Whether it's partnering Embiid or Harden today, Maxi's ring didn't play any role. At the end of the crucial third quarter, Maxi lost by a full 20 points during the floor.
Since the ankle injury, Maxi's performance is really rotten and almost ruined himself.....
In his second year as a rookie last season, Maxi was helped into the starting lineup after Simmons did not play, directly turning in 17.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists, shooting 48.5% from the field, 42.7% from three-point range, and 1.8 three-pointers per game.
In the playoffs, Maxi continued to grow, improving his stats to 20.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists, and still shooting high. Even in key games, he played the style of a team boss, Embiid was unable to play in the first two semifinals, and Maxi handed in 34 and 21 points, respectively, not at all like a rookie.
For a second-year rookie, this is indeed a treasure, and according to the normal growth trajectory, this season is definitely going to explode. In the first month of the season, Maxi did go for an average of 25+ per game, scoring less than double digits in only one of the first 15 games of the season.
But the turning point was the ankle injury, which put him off for more than a month, and after returning from the bench, his condition has plummeted since then, as if he had changed as a person. On the court, I struggled, my confidence began to collapse, and the numbers kept falling.
By now, Maxi's numbers have fallen to 19.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists, shooting 45.% from the field and 38% from three-point range, although the data looks good, but it is a very negative signal for players like him, and his performance is now deteriorating and has been declining. This should have been the age at which he rose the ball, and if he seized the opportunity, he could hope to grow into a star in the future.
Now Maxi is only 22 years old, and his annual salary this season is only 2.73 million, which should be the golden period of the 76ers, who can use Maxi's rookie contract to hit the championship as soon as possible. But if it continues like this, Maxi's big contract will definitely be out of play.
The 76ers are currently the weakest overall strength in the three eastern countries, and the thickness of the bench is obviously different from that of the Celtics and Bucks. If the team wants to go further in the playoffs, a third star must step up, and Maxi was originally the hope of the team, but now his part is really a mystery.
Harden is no longer the Harden who scored and chopped vegetables during the Rockets, and he played the role of team commander on the court. Embiid's ability to play as an inside player is limited to playing on the field, and he cannot maintain absolute dominance in any area of the field.
I'm still the same point I used to say, the 76ers want to get past the Celtics and Bucks, and Maxi has to stand up for that.