BOSTON (AP) 鈥� The Philadelphia 76ers didn鈥檛 know how many games, if any, they could count on from Joel Embiid in their first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics.
It turned out to be just enough.
After last month, the former MVP played some of the best playoff basketball of his career over the final four games of the series to lead the 76ers to a over a Celtics team that had looked like a potential NBA title contender.
The No. 7 seed鈥檚 reward is an Eastern Conference semifinals matchup with the No. 3 seed New York Knicks that begins Monday.
In leading Philadelphia to just its second road Game 7 victory ever and first since 1982 against Boston, Embiid finished with 34 points, 12 rebounds and six assists to become the first player in NBA history to score 100 points in a playoff series despite missing the first three games.
鈥淪ometimes I鈥檝e been in those positions where I鈥檝e come up short,鈥� Embiid said. 鈥淚鈥檝e always said it, you can鈥檛 win alone. You need a team. … The way we鈥檙e playing right now, we鈥檙e so in sync, offensively, defensively.鈥�
He and Tyrese Maxey (30 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists) also became the third duo in league history to each have 25 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a Game 7.
Maxey said this series demonstrated how he now knows when to be assertive and when to defer to Embiid.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a growth, because I had to learn when to be aggressive, when not to be aggressive,鈥� Maxey said. 鈥淚t got a little bit difficult in the middle of this season. I was basically being first option every single night. Then he comes back and I鈥檝e got to find a way to do both. And he does a really good job of just keeping me engaged and keeping me confident and keep me like, 鈥橦ey I need you to do what you do.'”
The 76ers will need everything Embiid gave and more to compete with a Knicks team that plays a much more physical game than Boston.
Nurse said he believes Embiid is up for the challenge. He was limping at times in Game 7 but then got extra treatment while on the bench just to be able to contribute late.
He had reason to be fatigued because even though nine 76ers players touched the floor in Game 7, only six logged double-digit minutes. Embiid played 39 minutes, tying his series high.
鈥淗e was doing everything he could to stay in the game,鈥� Nurse said. 鈥淥bviously, we ran a lot of things through him and we did just enough.鈥�
Nurse said being able to come out the hostile environment of TD Garden with a victory will serve his team well going forward.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really good for us to go through that and respond to it,鈥� Nurse said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be like that in the playoffs. You鈥檙e going to be in tight games and it鈥檚 going to be super loud. … And you just have to play through it.鈥�
Nurse said he believes the difference was making Boston play halfcourt sets over the final three minutes after the Celtics were able to play in transition for about 12 straight minutes in the third and fourth quarters.
That鈥檚 a lesson he hopes can be applied to New York.
鈥淚n the last two (games) and portions of this one, we just guarded really well,鈥� Nurse said.
While there was satisfaction in beating Boston, Embiid said they have loftier goals.
鈥淥ne series. Got more to go,鈥� he said.
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