Joel Embiid isn’t buying the idea that a star-studded roster means someone has to step aside. After the Philadelphia 76ers dropped their preseason finale 125-120 to the Boston Celtics on Friday night, the Sixers center made it clear: nobody on this team is taking a backseat.
Joel Embiid (Credits: Philadelphia 76ers, via ESPN)
“I’m Against the Concept of Sacrificing”
Embiid rejected the narrative that Philly’s loaded roster needs anyone to shrink their game. “I’m against the concept of sacrificing,” he said after the game. “I think the way I explained it was you do what you do best, and we’re going to support you. … I don’t think anybody has to take a backseat.”
It’s a bold stance with the regular season around the corner. The Sixers roster is overflowing with high-usage stars — Embiid, LeBron James, Tyrese Maxey, and Jaylen Brown — and the question of how all that talent fits together has followed the team all preseason.
Closest Look Yet at the Real Sixers
With second-year guard V.J. Edgecombe held out for precautionary reasons, coach Nick Nurse used the finale to show what this team will actually look like. James, Maxey, Brown, and Embiid all played preseason highs in minutes, staying on the floor well into the second half — the closest glimpse yet of the real rotation.
Embiid, in particular, looked dominant. Just two games after a rough outing against the Nets where he managed only six points with eight turnovers, he bounced back with a team-high 27 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. In the third quarter, he even threw down an emphatic dunk that brought the Xfinity Mobile Arena crowd to its feet — joking afterward that he “kind of got possessed” and thought he’d never dunk again after his injury struggles.
Maxey added 22 points and six assists, while James filled the box score with eight points, eight rebounds, and seven assists.
Still Working on the Rhythm
Despite the individual flashes, the group never quite looked comfortable together — even against Celtics reserves. Jaylen Brown pointed to spacing problems that led to turnovers as one of the key things they need to fix, admitting, “We’re not where we want to be yet.” James echoed that sentiment while insisting the team will eventually gel.
That’s the gamble Embiid is betting on: a roster where everybody plays their game and the chemistry catches up later. The 76ers open the season with sky-high expectations — and according to their franchise center, nobody is shrinking for anyone.
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Source: ESPN — read the full story there.
