Same old Sixers: Joel Embiid, James Harden sink as Celtics’ Jayson Tatum soars in Game 7 loss

BOSTON — The 76ers kept telling us this team was different.

Even when they underachieved and weaknesses were exposed, the Sixers kept saying this team was special.

Players, coach Doc Rivers, and president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said this squad was capable of winning an NBA title. They said it confidently.

But in reality, while they might be better, they just were not good enough to get out of the second round. On Sunday afternoon, they suffered a 112-88 loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at TD Garden. Boston’s Jayson Tatum scored 51 points to lead his team to the victory.

“We played all year, and this loss absolutely diminishing that, what we did this year in some ways,” said Rivers, who is in this third season coaching the Sixers. “It doesn’t for us. I think this team is heading right. I think we took another mental step this season. And tonight, I thought we took that step backward. But that’s OK. That happens too.”

James Harden and Joel Embiid were horrible. Harden had nine points, seven assists, and six rebounds, and made just 3 of 11 shots, including 1 of 5 three-pointers. In the biggest game of the season, Harden, 33, looked like the game had passed him by.

» READ MORE: Joel Embiid, James Harden choke in a gutless showing in Boston. ‘The Process’ fails again.

Embiid had 15 points on 5-for-18 shooting while missing all four of his three-point attempts. He led the Sixers with eight rebounds and two blocks. However, he spent most of the game on the perimeter. The MVP, who is playing with a sprained LCL, looked fatigued.

The Sixers’ star duo and the other starters were subbed out of the game with 3 minutes, 52 seconds left. The Celtics broke the game wide open with a 33-10 scoring advantage in the third quarter.

The Sixers have lost in the second round for the third consecutive season and the fifth time in six seasons. They were swept by the Celtics in the first round of the 2020 playoffs.

They have now failed to win a second-round series for the 12th time in the franchise’s last 13 appearances, dating to 1986. They beat the Toronto Raptors in seven games in the conference semis in 2001 en route to an NBA Finals appearance.

The franchise is also 6-12 all-time in Game 7s, losing four straight. And the Sixers are 1-9 in road Game 7s. The numbers don’t look much better for Rivers. His record in series-clinching games dropped to 17-33. He has lost 10 straight second-round close-out games.

» READ MORE: Jayson Tatum was the Celtics’ savior ... and the Sixers’ worst nightmare

This was a rough game for Harden.

The Sixers point guard came into the contest with a history of poor Game 7 performances. And this one will go down as one of the worst.

Harden had more airballs (three) than made baskets (two) in the first half. He also had no lift on his jumpers and looked a step too slow. He ended up with six points on 2-for-8 shooting along with six assists and five rebounds in the first half.

“I thought James came to play,” Rivers said. “I really did. I thought he was trying to see the game. I thought he played downhill a lot. Where he passed the ball, was the right decisions tonight. We didn’t get anything out of it.

“I get it. James, Jo, me. I know we got to point somewhere, right? But I just thought ... he was trying to do the right thing. I really did.”

However, his Flagrant 1 foul in the first half was a momentum killer. Harden lost the ball while driving to the basket with a 35-27 lead at the 8:26 mark of the second quarter. On the play, he extended his right arm back and hit Jaylen Brown in the face.

“After that, we never played right again,” Rivers said.

That flagrant foul sparked an 8-0 run that enabled the Celtics to knot the score at 35.

Brown later received a double technical foul for screaming something at the Sixers’ bench. He was upset when Georges Niang, who was on the bench, reached out and grabbed his leg. The action prevented Brown from getting back on defense. He yelled at the Sixers bench in response and both players received technicals.

The Celtics opened a nine-point lead early in the third quarter. That’s when Harden made his first three-pointer, making it 65-58 with 8:02 remaining in the quarter. But the Celtics responded with a 6-0 run, forcing Rivers to call a timeout with 6:14 left in the quarter.

» READ MORE: Joel Embiid, James Harden sink as Celtics’ Jayson Tatum soars in Sixers’ Game 7 loss

Now, there are a lot of offseason questions.

The primary one involves Harden’s future. The point guard has a player option for next season. There have been reports that he intends to opt out and sign with the Houston Rockets. But if he returns, is a Harden-Embiid tandem good enough to lead the Sixers to an NBA title?

“We got an unfinished job,” Embiid said. “We haven’t won anything. And I think we got a chance. Obviously, going to seven games and having a chance to close it out at home, which we didn’t do [in the Game 6 loss]. So I still believe we got a chance to win. We got what it takes to win.

“So obviously I don’t know what’s going on. And I know he has a player option or they can extend him. But that’s on [the front office] to figure out. I’m going to stay out of it. But I still believe that me and him, we got a chance to win.”

The Sixers made just 3 of 21 shots, including going 2 of 13 shots on three-pointers in the third quarter. They also committed seven turnovers. Tatum outscored them 17-10 in the quarter while making 4 of 5 three-pointers. Following his lead, the Celtics built a commanding 88-62 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

The Sixers took a 29-23 lead into the second quarter thanks in large part to P.J. Tucker.

The power forward, who sat long stretches in Game 6, showed early on why he’s vital to Philly’s success.

In addition to grabbing two rebounds and playing solid defense, Tucker took advantage of the Celtics leaving him wide open.

He shot 4 of 6 — including 3 of 5 three-pointers — to finish with 11 first-quarter points. Those three-pointers tied a season-high for threes. Tucker, however, only got one shot the rest of the game. He only played 19:41. The problem is he’s the toughness player on the team and only one that provided a spark early.

The coach was asked before the game if he feels pressure before Game 7.

“Oh, yeah. Everybody does,” he said. “I hate to be Billie Jean King, but it is a privilege. It’s an honor to get teams to these places. It really is. It’s funny, there are people, your friends who look at you like ‘Why do you like this?’ and this is what it’s about.

“You put yourself out there because you want to win and you know if you do that, you have to put yourself in these situations over and over and over again and it’s worth it. It’s worth it and that’s what I tell my guys.”

Unfortunately for him, the Sixers didn’t meet the moment.