Sixers Are Colder Than a Rita’s in Game 2 vs. Celtics

Joel Embiid is all of us. The Sixers dropped Game 2 to the Celtics in the Second Round Playoffs / Photograph by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Governor (and Montco native) Josh Shapiro had a message for Boston before Wednesday’s playoff game with the Sixers.

Asking the tough questions: What is Josh Shapiro's opinion on Joel Embiid's MVP? Per a spokesperson — pic.twitter.com/wQLfXl1USh

— Stephen Caruso (@StephenJ_Caruso) May 3, 2023

And here we go! And here he goes: Joel started, with no mention of minute restrictions and … a brace. He also notched his first foul four minutes in and stayed in for just seven. Oh, BTW, his good friend James Harden bought him a rose-gold Rolex encrusted with diamonds and engraved with his number and “23 MVP.”

Nice! Joel came back in with a minute left and drew a foul on Grant Williams that reduced the announcers to giggles. End of the first: 28-22 Celts. Hey, we were just getting started.

The Sixers offense was off in the second quarter of Game 2, and the Celtics stretched their lead to 11 two minutes in, 37-26. Embiid had a glorious block on Marcus Smart. In fact, he had five blocks in his first 13 minutes of play.

for your halftime viewing pleasure: all 5 of @JoelEmbiid's blocks. pic.twitter.com/jdTmPatpdl

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 4, 2023

Jayson Tatum had three fouls halfway through the quarter. P.J. responded to a cheap foul by Jaylen Brown, and naturally, the refs only saw the response. For some reason, TNT decided this game would be a good time to debut a new drone camera. Fans didn’t agree.

With two minutes left, Maxey got hit with his third foul and went to the bench. Melton made a laughable attempt at a three but made up for it with a steal. An Embiid foul shot cut the lead to five with a minute and a half to go, but Boston took it back to 10 with a three. Harden set up a final three and missed it, but Harris got a two on the rebound. Halftime: 57-49 Boston.

Could the Sixers’ shooting improve in the third? Well, P.J. hit a three at the start — his first basket of the game. Brown instantly matched it, alas. Then, Embiid blew an easy layup under the basket on a hand-off from a streaking Maxey, and missed a three. Down by 12. And he threw a fancy pass attempt away. A Harden three circled the basket eight or nine times and then — didn’t fall. A third foul on P.J. Down by 14. Plus side: Tatum got his fourth foul, by flooring Harden, but nothing was dropping for our guys.

It was ugly out there: Boston was up by 21 with under three left in the third thanks to a 13-0 run. Embiid even had a basket yanked for a shot-clock violation. End of the third: 92-65. Bring on the subs. At least all the people whining that Doc never plays Furkan anymore got their wish.

You don’t want to read about this, do you? I sure don’t want to write about it. Final: 121-87. Come on home, Sixers. The love’s still here. And the governor was right.