Trust the process. The mantra that has been repeated so much in recent years in Philadelphia is taking on the shape of a curse. While Joel Embiid has indeed become one of the brightest stars in the NBA scene, the same cannot be said of the 76ers. The efforts of Daryl Morey to build a roster that could win immediately were of no avail, the arrival of Doc Rivers on the bench was of no avail. The result remains the same as in previous years: elimination in the conference semifinals. And now the grumbles begin to be heard more and more.
Before going into the controversy, however, it is necessary to reiterate a key concept. At the beginning of this series, the Sixers certainly did not start as favorites. The Heat seen this year are a ferocious beast from whose clutches it is very difficult to break free. All the more so with his best player, Joel Embiid, out for the first two races. The central pivot of the roster, as well as one of the major candidates for MVP of the regular season. A set of factors that made Philadelphia almost defeat at the start of this series. Only the return to the field of the Cameroonian (however not 100%) gave his teammates the strength, even if only mental, to try to overturn the predictions.Despite this necessary premise, what we saw on the field cannot satisfy the fans .
The team seemed too passive for the whole series, almost at the mercy of events, and the supporting players were unable to bear the weight of the games played. Harris and Maxey only made themselves heard on and off while Harden only managed to take the reins of the team in race-3. Too little for a player who had to be the fundamental pawn to bring the ring back to Philadelphia. It is now clear that the former Brooklyn Nets is no longer the player we used to know, especially from a physical point of view. And his decline was further noticeable in tonight’s catastrophic Game-6: 11 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists and 4 turnovers. A performance that has led many to point the finger at him. First of all the teammate who seemed to have wanted him so much by his side.
James Harden playing with “no pressure” this playoffs:
— Lowest PPG since he was in OKC
— Lowest FGM since he was in OKC
— Lowest FTA since he was in OKC
— Lowest FG% since 2014 pic.twitter.com/sduURshBuj— StatMuse (@statmuse) May 13, 2022
On the microphones immediately after the defeat he presented himself a heartbroken Joel Embiid. The Sixers in an inside or outside match put up a fierce resistance, appearing out of the game as early as the third quarter. The Cameroonian did what he could after playing four games in eight days in decidedly precarious conditions. Unlike the comrades, who appeared in total confusion. Or, perhaps, they weren’t up to par. Embiid did not set this hypothesis aside, but rather gave some doubts to the management to think about.
At this point, there is no longer a need to look at the front office or the coaches. It’s time to look at the players, and maybe we’re not good enough.
Immediately after, the question that put Embiid against the wall could not be missing. As previously anticipated, Harden’s arrival at the trade deadline did not bring the expected benefits, and this race-6 insinuates even more fears about the goodness of the operation. When asked about his performance and lack of aggression, the center replied like this.
When he got here, everyone expected to see Harden in Houston, but he’s not that player anymore. He today he is a point guard. In general, and I’m talking about myself, Tobias, Tyrese and the guys off the bench, I think we could have been more aggressive.
Veiled words, but not too much. Perhaps Embiid was alluding to the fact that today Harden is no longer a scorer but a point guard, and therefore it is unfair to expect 40 points from him every night. Nonetheless, these statements are sobering and almost sound more like a jab. Who knows what the Sixers center would not have preferred to play this series alongside a player who really was decisive. A player that Philadelphia had in hand, but who preferred to trade to bet on Tobias Harris.
Jimmy Butler with a strong message for the 76ers after the Heat beat Philly in the Eastern Conference Finals. “Tobias Harris over me?”
Video from photojournalist David Silver https://t.co/NdIVGYdQts pic.twitter.com/XDONATuHHW
— WPLG Local 10 Sports (@Local10Sports) May 13, 2022
Embiid himself did not hide it after the game: a player like Jimmy Butler would have been gold standard for these Sixers. Especially from a mental point of view, which seems to be the key factor missing from the team. Three years after the famous trade, the current Heat player was right. He who knows that, in some time, we will not find ourselves saying the same thing about a certain Ben Simmons …
