[Saba Sports News] The Philadelphia 76ers, after a promising start to the season, faced consecutive defeats, first by the Indiana Pacers and then by the Boston Celtics. Post-game, Joel Embiid acknowledged the Celtics as the NBA’s top team. He emphasized the need for both himself and the 76ers to improve, despite the challenge of playing against formidable teams like Boston.
“It was tough, especially playing Indiana twice and then, on a back-to-back, playing the best team in the league. But no excuses. We have to be better and I have to be better,” said Embiid.
“This is not a rivalry. I don’t know our record against them, but it’s pretty bad. They always kick our ass.”
Embiid’s history with the Celtics has been challenging, with the 76ers consistently falling short in playoff encounters during his tenure. Notably, the 76ers had a 3-2 lead over the Celtics in the 2023 Playoffs but couldn’t capitalize. Embiid has previously commented on the lopsided nature of the 76ers-Celtics rivalry, citing Boston’s consistent dominance.
With Boston’s strong roster additions, they appear as favorites in the Eastern Conference. In contrast, the 76ers, despite a strong season start, struggle to match up with the Celtics’ all-star lineup.
Reflecting on his career rivalry with Boston, Embiid noted that the 76ers’ record against the Celtics has improved over time, from 1-8 to 11-13, but still trails overall. Despite scoring 20 points in the latest game, Embiid and the 76ers fell 117-107, missing an opportunity to even the record. The 76ers aim to replicate their earlier season win against the Celtics in future matchups.