Philly is just 1-8 in nine playoff games against Boston with Embiid on the floor.
Embiid literally was just named the best player in the NBA. So, why does Boston play Philly better when he's the court? It helps to consider the Sixers' team stats with and without Embiid during the 2022-23 regular season, which hints at a more up-tempo style of play without their 7-foot big man.It's a smaller sample size, but the Sixers were better in several statistical categories without Embiid this season.
We're wary of small sample sizes, but Philly does have a different identity without Embiid, utilizing smaller lineups that attempt more shots per game and play with more pace. Embiid's absence also empowers his teammates to be more aggressive on offense, which is exactly what happened in Game 1:"You've got to cut off the water somewhere," Celtics guardlamented after Game 1."... If James Harden is going to have his 45, then that'll be that.
With Embiid on the floor, however, the offense runs through him, and Philly's pace slows. Boston has multiple capable defenders to throw at him -- including"Embiid stopper"and the sturdy Grant Williams -- and if he's not 100 percent on Wednesday, the C's should heed Brogdon's message and do their best to contain the Sixers' role players, a strategy that helped them during the regular season.
On the other end, the key stat to note is steals: Philly averaged 1.1 fewer steals in games Embiid played this season, which is good news for a Celtics team that was plagued by 16 turnovers in Game 1. The C's are 53-19 this season when they keep turnovers under 16 and will have a much better chance of winning Game 2 if they can improve their ball control.
Philly will be motivated to win for its MVP on Wednesday night, and he could put the team on his back to give the Sixers at 2-0 lead. But there's evidence to suggest the Celtics might be glad to see him back on the court at TD Garden.
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