PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers have to head back to the TD Garden for Game 7 on Sunday. They weren’t able to close out the Boston Celtics in Game 6 at home on Thursday, and they have the tall task of having to win a third road game in this series.
It isn’t impossible. The Atlanta Hawks accomplished that feat against the Sixers in the 2021 semifinals, wrapping up that series with a Game 7 win on the road. If the Hawks can do it, maybe the Sixers can.
Philadelphia has what it takes to get it done. It is led by league MVP Joel Embiid, future Hall of Famer James Harden, rising star Tyrese Maxey and versatile Tobias Harris. The Sixers have won twice in Boston thus far, and Embiid believes the Sixers can do it again.
“We know what we gotta do,” Embiid said after the loss. “We’ve gone on the road, and we’ve won. It’s not gonna be easy in that environment, but same thing. Got to start better than we were tonight (Game 6) and everybody has to step up. Starting with me.”
While Embiid is taking responsibility for his part in the loss, he also didn’t get the ball in the final four minutes of the loss. The Sixers need to get him to the ball with the game on the line.
With two days off before Game 7, the Sixers look to learn from their mistakes in the loss at home and move on.
“Whatever we need to do to get our minds right, we’ll do it,” Harden said.
Sunday will be the third Game 7 of the Embiid era. The Sixers fell to the Toronto Raptors in 2019 and the Hawks in 2021. He is looking to earn his first Game 7 win in Boston.
“We have an opportunity to go there and close a series out,” Harris said. “That’s the momentum for us. So it’s just keeping our heads high, staying positive and being ready. That’s what we have to do. We have to adjust. We have to focus and go out there and get a victory.”
The Hawks did it to the Sixers in 2021. Now Philadelphia has a chance to do it to the Celtics and learn from the mistakes made in the past.
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