Joel Embiid believes there’s no pressure on Sixers while down 3-1

Joel Embiid believes the Philadelphia 76ers have no pressure while being down 3-1 to the New York Knicks.

PHILADELPHIA — Heading into the 2023-24 season, the Philadelphia 76ers had championship aspirations. Coach Nick Nurse was brought in help get this team over the hump and past the second round for the first time since 2001.

Prospects were looking great for the Sixers until Joel Embiid suffered a left knee injury in late January that required surgery a week later and kept him sidelined for two months. During that time, Philadelphia tumbled down the standings.

Embiid returned in early April, but the Sixers entered these playoffs as the No. 7 seed. After a Game 4 loss to the New York Knicks on Sunday afternoon, the focus is to just keep playing one game at a time.

“One at a time,” Embiid said after the loss. “We know we’re good enough. Tonight, we didn’t make shots, so we just gotta keep trusting ourselves. We know the pace was not good in the fourth quarter so we gotta play faster, and like I said, keep trusting each other, and go out and play.”

To Embiid’s point, the Sixers shot 6-for-24 in the fourth quarter and 34.2% from the floor overall in the second half. New York overwhelmed the Sixers with its defense and offensive rebounding.

In terms of pressure? Embiid doesn’t believe the Sixers have it. It’s all on the Knicks to knock them out.

“We got no pressure,” said Embiid. “We’re the 7 seed, down 3-1, a lot of guys are hurt, I don’t know why we would feel the pressure. So we should just go out and play our best basketball. One at a time. Win one. Come back home. Win another one and then Game 7 over there so I’m looking forward to it. Yeah. No pressure.”

Embiid isn’t technically wrong. The Sixers are the seventh seed, but only due to him missing two months because of the injury. If he had stayed healthy, Philadelphia would likely have been the No. 2 seed in the East.

Either way, the Sixers have to focus on Game 5 on Tuesday. Those first two games in New York could have gone either way, and Philadelphia needs to focus on that as it prepares to fight for its life.

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