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Embiid, a name that people love and hate, this season, he led the 76ers to the top of the East with his MVP-level performance, making fans rekindle their confidence in him. It's a pity that God is jealous of talent, and Embiid's knee injury has become the biggest obstacle on the way to the 76ers' championship attack. The difficult qualification for the play-offs has raised doubts about the team's prospects.
The first round of the playoffs against the Knicks was supposed to be the stage for Embiid to kill all sides. Who would have thought that in the face of an opponent who lacked core players, the 76ers not only failed to advance easily, but made mistakes in key battles and almost quit early. Embiid's performance so far in the playoffs seems to have fulfilled that curse once again: he can't lead the team to victory at a critical moment.
In the battle of G6, the 76ers faced the Knicks at home. The American media gave the 76ers a 58.2% probability of winning, but the real suspense has to be seen on the court. As soon as the game began, the Knicks showed amazing firepower. Brunson, DiVincenzo, Hart, and Anunoby, all like clockwork machines, frantically bombarded the 76ers' basket. The huge gap of 22 points made 76ers fans tremble.
Fortunately, the 76ers also have Batum and Payne. The pair scored 11 points to lead the team to a halt. In the second quarter of the game, Hield made three points like rain, and 17 points at halftime became the brightest star. At halftime, the 76ers even overtook by 3 points!
Yibian fought again, and Embiid finally played a little form. In the face of Brunson's defense, he played steadily and scored seven consecutive points to help the team lead. It's a pity that the sky is not beautiful, and the Knicks' momentum has not diminished at all. Hatten hit a three-pointer from the bottom corner, and Anunoby also wreaked havoc on the inside, and after the third quarter, the score returned to the same running line.
The contest in the decisive period is simply thrilling. At the beginning of the game, Oubre hit a three-point shot, and the home team was in a big swing for a while. But Brunson is worthy of being the soul of the Knicks, scoring 11 points in a row at the critical moment, and Shengsheng stretched the difference to 8 points! Seeing that the defeat was decided, Oubre and Maxey suddenly broke out, the former scored three points + violent deductions, and the latter played 2+1, and Shengsheng tied the score!
The atmosphere in the stadium reached a climax, and every attack touched the hearts of the crowd. At the critical moment, Hart hit a big open three-pointer, and Brunson also hit two free throws. The 76ers missed a good opportunity to overtake and lost 115-118. The 22-point reversal was lost in front of him.
After the game, Embiid was full of tears and reluctantly left the court. 39 points and 13 rebounds, but in exchange for another season with an early vacation. His great performance once again stopped in the Eastern Conference semifinals. I have to say that Harden left the 76ers and saw the reality that "mud can't support the wall". A supergiant without a champion is destined to escape doubts and accusations.
Embiid's tears have exhausted the feelings of countless 76ers fans. They had pinned their hopes on the promising centre-forward to lead the team back to the top. However, the repeated defeats and setbacks make people wonder: Is Embiid really the one who can trust his dreams?
In fact, Embiid's career has been accompanied by controversy. Talented, he always seems to be so bad that he can't lead the team over the hurdles at critical moments. What his opponent gave him was always the tightest defense and the most brutal test. And he often loses himself in moments like these, falling into inefficient shooting and frequent turnovers.
This time, in the face of the life-and-death battle with the Knicks, Embiid once again showed his shortcomings. At critical moments in the final quarter, he struck iron one after another and missed the opportunity to turn the tide. On the other hand, Hart and Brunson showed astonishing calmness and judgment, and sealed the victory with a precise attack.
A true superstar must not only excel in the competition, but also show the demeanor of a leader in difficult situations. Jordan has the "flu game", Kobe Bryant has the "Achilles heel", and Embiid seems to lack such moments. He needs a hardened victory to prove that he's more than just a "gold-plated" superstar with no stats.
The 76ers' loss is not only Embiid's responsibility. The overall issue of the team is also worth pondering. During Embiid's absence, the team's record plummeted, exposing the hidden danger of insufficient depth in the roster. Thankfully, Maxi and Harris stepped up in time, which didn't make the situation worse. But for a team that is challenging for a championship, such a performance is not enough.
The adjustment of the coaching staff also makes people feel a little inadequate. In the face of Brunson and DiVincenzo's strength, the manager seems to lack a solution. The depth of the rotation lineup is not enough, and the performance of the players on the field is also good and bad. With such a tactical execution, it is difficult to gain a foothold in the playoffs surrounded by strong opponents.
In the aftermath of the loss, the 76ers all need deep reflection. The team needs to strengthen the lineup and improve the depth of the bench, the coach needs to sum up the experience and formulate targeted tactics, and Embiid needs to solve his own constraints at key moments from the psychological and technical and tactical levels. Only in this way can we get out of the current quagmire and rise again.
For Embiid and the 76ers, this offseason is not destined to be peaceful. They will face doubts and pressure, but at the same time, they will have to seize the opportunity to grow and transform. Only by experiencing setbacks and hardships can we be reborn and achieve a better version of ourselves.
This season is destined to end in a regrettable way. But we have infinite expectations for Embiid and the 76ers' tomorrow. After the baptism of ups and downs, let's wait and see if they can make a comeback. After all, what they represent is the dream of a city and the hope of countless fans. This heavy responsibility will inspire them to continue to move forward and create their own era!