If you ask the Milwaukee Bucks or the Phoenix Suns, they will probably say it's the 76ers' head coach Doc Rivers since the two teams just fired their coaches after playoffs exit.
Many blame James Harden for not doing enough even after he carried the 76ers to two key victories like a lone hero who scored 45 and 42 points in those competitions.
Joel Embiid, who beat Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets in this season's NBA Most Valuable Player race, played nothing like himself against the Celtics, or, perhaps too much like himself?
When a team's best player underperforms like Embiid does, of course they lose to competitive opponents like the Celtics.
Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during Game 7 of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals against the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, May 14, 2023. /CFP
Doc Rivers (C), head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, looks on during Game 7 of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals against the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, May 14, 2023. /CFP
James Harden (#1) of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles in Game 7 of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals against the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, May 14, 2023. /CFP
Host: Li Xiang
Cover designer: Feng Yuan