This might be the beginning of the end for the Philadelphia 76ers.
They underperformed in the playoffs again, and there has been plenty of chatter about Doc Rivers and Daryl Morey’s future with the organization.
More than that, it has now become evident that Joel Embiid isn’t satisfied with his teammates’ performances, as he seemingly threw them all under the bus following his team’s loss.
“Me and James, we can't win alone. That's why basketball is played 5-on-5. We need everybody to find ways to be better.”
– Joel Embiid after being eliminated 😬 pic.twitter.com/rxvWta1Eq1
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) May 14, 2023
Embiid pretty much blamed everyone but him and James Harden for the elimination.
However, he and Harden combined for 24 points on 8-for-29 shooting, which isn’t exactly elite.
Embiid was coming off an MVP and Scoring Champion campaign, but his playoff averages dropped by nearly 10 points, the biggest drop-off by an MVP in NBA history.
He wasn’t fully healthy for most of the playoffs, but he also wasn’t able to lead his team when it mattered the most.
The Sixers went to great lengths to put together a competitive squad ahead of this season, and they were one of the deepest and most talented teams in the Association.
They had multiple chances to close this series out, and they were even down just three points at halftime before yet another epic collapse in the second half.
Needless to say, these comments might not rub his teammates the right way, and the front office will have several tough decisions to make.
Philly may have lost more than just a game this time, and it’ll be interesting to see how they come back from this.
NEXT: Stephen A. Smith Rips James Harden After Game 7 Loss
