BOSTON — The Philadelphia 76ers weren’t sure how much they could count on Joel Embiid in their first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics.
It turned out to be just enough.
After returning in Game 4 following appendectomy surgery, the former MVP delivered some of the best playoff basketball of his career over the final four games. He powered the 76ers to a 109-100 Game 7 victory over a Celtics team that had looked like a potential NBA title contender earlier in the postseason.
The No. 7 seed’s reward is an Eastern Conference semifinals showdown with the No. 3 seed New York Knicks, starting Monday.
In guiding Philadelphia to just its second road Game 7 win ever — and first since 1982 against Boston — Embiid posted 34 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. He became the first player in NBA history to score 100 points in a playoff series while missing the first three games.
“Sometimes I’ve been in those positions where I’ve come up short,” Embiid said. “You can’t win alone. You need a team. The way we’re playing right now, we’re so in sync, offensively and defensively.”
He and Tyrese Maxey (30 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists) became the third duo in league history to each record 25 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a Game 7.
Maxey noted the series showed is growth in knowing when to attack and when to defer.
“It’s a growth, because I had to learn when to be aggressive, when not to be aggressive,” Maxey said. “It got a little difficult in the middle of the season when I was the first option every night. Then he comes back, and I’ve got to find a way to do both. He does a really good job of keeping me engaged and confident.”
The 76ers will need every bit of that effort and more against the physical Knicks.
Coach Nick Nurse believes Embiid is ready for the challenge. The big man was limping at times in Game 7 but received extra treatment on the bench to stay in the game. He logged 39 minutes, tying his series high, as the 76ers relied heavily on their top players.
“He was doing everything he could to stay in the game,” Nurse said. “We ran a lot of things through him and did just enough.”
Nurse added that winning in the hostile environment of TD Garden will help his team moving forward.
“It’s really good for us to go through that and respond,” Nurse said. “It’s going to be like that in the playoffs. You’re going to be in tight games and it’s going to be super loud. You just have to play through it.”
He credited strong half-court defense in the final minutes for the victory after Boston had pushed the pace earlier.
While there was satisfaction in beating Boston, Embiid kept his focus forward.
“One series. Got more to go,” he said.