76ers Overcome Celtics in Game 7 to Advance to Eastern Conference Semifinals

"...traumatized by the number of weird things and random role players who have dismantled the franchise in big games over the years..."

"...reaction around Philadelphia was less excited than you would have expected..."

"...Surely, some random role player was going to hand you the awful loss this time around..."

"...the Sixers were going to have a letdown against a team they were now expected to beat..."

"...level of poise Philadelphia showed in the first 12 minutes is unlike anything I’ve seen from a Joel Embiid-led team in a big moment..."

"...Embiid’s full arsenal was on display in Game 7..."

"...Embiid was methodical once he got the ball on a deep catch, waiting out the Celtics doubles without ever seeming bothered by them..."

"...Embiid treated every size mismatch with the disrespect it deserved..."

"...Maxey was able to use the wisdom gained along the way to close out Boston’s year..."

"...Hell of an effort..."

"...Edgecombe opened his season with an ass-kicking performance on the road in Boston..."

"...he did his best to close the book on the Celtics in the final meeting between the two teams this season..."

"...Edgecombe punishing the Celtics for playing off him on the perimeter..."

"...roller coaster in the first half..."

"...fair to wonder if he had enough in the bag in non-Embiid minutes..."

"...whether he could help Maxey drag this team toward the second round..."

"...role players offering close to nothing all night..."

"...Oubre played another offensive clunker with a few braindead moments on both ends..."

"...Grimes played better defense but couldn’t get shots to drop..."

"...Edwards’ first-half cameo was abandoned after only two minutes..."

"...Every Paul George three in this game felt like a big make..."

"...move he made to dust Sam Hauser and hit a stepback three from the corner in the third was a thing of beauty..."