Joel Embiid admits he and James Harden ‘can’t win alone’ after 76ers lose conference semifinals for third straight year as NBA MVP challenges team to improve:” It’s 5 against 5″
His comments were in no way critical of teammates or the organization
Joel Embiid also challenged himself to improve several times after the playoff loss
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Philadelphia 76ers center and NBA MVP Joel Embiid challenged himself and his teammates to improve after the Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics.
Embiid scored 15 points on 5-for-18 shooting in Sunday’s 112-88 Eastern Conference semifinal loss.
“I have already started to understand how I need to improve for next year,” Embiid said after the game. He also cited Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“I have a pretty good idea of what I need to do to be better, to be a better basketball player. To keep getting better every year, which I did… Like someone said, “It’s not a failure, you know [there’s] steps to success.”
Along with challenging himself, Embiid also challenged the rest of the squad by answering a question about fellow superstar James Harden and his potential free agency this summer.
76ers center Joel Embiid challenged himself and teammates after loss to Boston Celtics
Embiid noted that he and James Harden cannot win alone as they are playing a 5v5 match.
“We have unfinished business. We haven’t won anything and I think we have the chance to win,” he added.
“Obviously going to seven games and having the chance to finish at home which we didn’t, I still believe we had the chance to win, I think we have what it takes to win,” Embiid said before mentioning anything happening with the player option in Harden’s contract was “out of his hands” and he planned to “stay out of it.”
“I still believe that he and I have the chance to win but it’s going to take more than us.” We all have to look at each other, I have to be better and I will be better.
“We all have to find ways to come back and keep improving and helping the team, you can’t win alone.
“I can’t win alone. Me and James, we can’t win alone. That’s why basketball is played 5 against 5.’
Harden and Embiid look crestfallen as they succumb to a Game 7 semi-final loss on Sunday
Jayson Tatum played for the Celtics with 51 points as they reached the Eastern Conference Finals
Embiid quoted the words of Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo after being knocked out
Embiid and the Celtics were knocked out of the playoffs after Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum broke for a game-high 51 points after NBA Game 7 as Boston reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the second year consecutive.
A game after missing 14 of his first 15 shots to wake up in the fourth quarter in time to salvage their season, Tatum scored 25 in the first half and 17 more in the third quarter as Boston 33-10 turned a three-point lead in a runaway.
“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.
‘It doesn’t matter if you lose in the first round, Finals. There’s only one team to win and if you can’t, will you be happy to be second? I know I am not. For me, if I don’t finish first, it’s a failure. The rest doesn’t really matter.