"We want them to play at our pace" - Joel Embiid says the Sixers baited the Celtics to secure a crucial win in Game 5
Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers secured a crucial win on the road against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night. With Embiid addressing the media after the game, the newly crowned MVP shared their game plan against Boston.
The Philadelphia 76ers secured a 115-103 win in Game 5 at TD Garden. Considering that the series was fairly evenly matched until this point, Philadelphia may have broken the deadlock by stealing a crucial game on the road.
A huge reason for Philadelphia's success in Game 5 was the combined efforts of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. However, Embiid highlighted that there were layers to their strategy. While referring to the Celtics stealing some momentum in the second quarter, he mentioned the importance of slowing the pace down. He added by saying:
(Watch Embiid's full comments from 1:10-1:48)
"They (Celtics) were trying to go up and down quite a bit in that second quarter with the fans going behind them. We just want to make sure, in those situations, that we don't want to play on their pace. You want them to play at our pace."
Philadelphia certainly did a great job of stunting the Celtics' momentum for the rest of the game. Boston still came back strong in the fourth quarter to outscore the 76ers 31-27, but Philly had set the foundation for a commanding lead early on.
With a 3-2 series lead, the 76ers are in a solid position to close things out on their home turf. With a chance to reach the ECF for the first time since the 2000-01 season, it will be interesting to see what they can produce.
Read: "Celtics need Ime" - Sixers fans troll Jayson Tatum and crew after they are trashed at home in Game 5
Joel Embiid played like an MVP
Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid finally won himself the MVP award after a long, hard season. He certainly put his newly-earned MVP status on display against the Celtics in Game 5.
Embiid notched an impressive 33 points on the night with seven rebounds to go with it. Considering his versatility on the offensive side of the ball, he found ways to score in the post while also dictating the tempo of the game.
Embiid's efforts were supported by Tyrese Maxey, who notched a 30-point performance of his own. James Harden and Tobias Harris each contributed with double-double performances to add the finishing touches to the game.
Embiid has scored 30+ points in each of the last three games. It will be interesting to see what he produces in Game 6 at home.
Read: "MVP FOR A REASON" - Sixers fans are ecstatic as Joel Embiid takes them closer to the Eastern Conference Finals