"Me and James, we just can't win alone" - Joel Embiid calls for his 76ers teammates’ improvement following Game 7 blowout loss to the Celtics
After the disappointing loss in Game 7, Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers acknowledged that he needs to improve his game in the offseason. The Sixers suffered a crushing 112-88 defeat to the Boston Celtics, resulting in their fifth second-round exit in six years. Both Embiid and his teammate James Harden had a tough time finding their rhythm on the court, scoring just 24 points on 8-for-29 shooting. In light of this, Embiid expressed his desire to work on his game during the offseason to come back stronger next year.
“I’ve got to be better, and I will be better. That’s what I’m focused on,” Embiid said.
However, Embiid then shifted the focus toward his teammates’ need for improvement, implying that he and Harden didn’t get much help in the series:
“All of us, we’ve gotta come back and find ways to just keep improving and help the team,” Embiid said.
“You can’t win alone. I can’t win alone. Me and James, we just can't win alone. That’s why basketball is played five-on-five. So, we just need our guys to try to keep finding ways to get better, and we will be fine.”
Here is Joel Embiid's full answer when he says "Me and James, we can't win alone." https://t.co/iuR67rRCWZ
Embiid averaged 25.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 3.0 blocks per game on 42.1% shooting over six games against Boston. The MVP big man has yet to make a conference finals appearance since being drafted No. 3 in 2014. This comes as the Sixers’ last conference finals appearance in franchise history came back in 2001.
Joel Embiid cracks joke after 76ers' Game 7 loss to Boston
Joel Embiid also made some waves in his Game 7 postgame press conference by making a joke about the Sixers' disappointing season. When asked if he believed the season was a failure, Embiid playfully referenced a postgame quote from Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had said that there is no failure in sports.
“For me, as I look at it, it’s a good step,” Embiid said.
“Like someone said, ‘It’s not a failure, it’s steps to success.’"
Joel Embiid: “Like someone said: it's not a failure, it's a step to success.” https://t.co/VGK2ZtcjAq
However, Embiid later clarified that Philly’s season was indeed a failure:
“It doesn’t matter where you lose. You don’t get the trophy for being second or third or fourth or fifth or sixth,” Embiid said.
“Doesn’t matter if you lose in the first round, finals. There’s only one team that wins and if you didn’t accomplish that, are you gonna be happy for being second? I know I’m not. To me, if I don’t finish first, it is a failure. The rest doesn’t really matter.”