PHILADELPHIA — On Sunday afternoon, the Philadelphia 76ers lost an Eastern Conference semifinal Game 4, 144-114, to the New York Knicks. The defeat ended an up-and-down season for Philly, and it ended a series in a sweep, 4-0.
As players filed out of Xfinity Mobile Arena on Sunday night, Sixers star center Joel Embiid left one final message for the offseason.
“So, we just gotta get better, from top to bottom,” Embiid said. “Ownership, players, coaches, everybody just has to get better.”
The sentiment matches what we saw on the floor during the series. The Knicks were the better team, and there wasn’t anything Philadelphia could do about it. Embiid still took some personal responsibility.
“Frankly, they were just better than us. So, we have to look at each other, and that starts with me,” Embiid said Sunday. “I wasn’t around for much of the season for a lot of things. So, moving forward, I have an understanding of what it takes to make sure that I get to play. I think we will be better next year. But, for now, I’m disappointed we didn’t get a chance for a championship. So, everyone has to look at themselves, starting with me.”
Off the floor, the Knicks’ fanbase took over Philadelphia’s home floor in Games 3 and 4, and particularly in Game 4. Despite Philadelphia winning 45 games this season, despite the Sixers improving dramatically on last season, and despite Philly winning a first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics, the loss to New York will still sting, as Philadelphia heads into the summer.
New York sent a message to its rival that it isn’t close to winning, or competing for an NBA championship.
“It absolutely sucks, if I’m being honest. It just sucks,” Philly guard Tyrese Maxey said, when asked about New York fans filling Xfinity Mobile Arena.
“That’s really all I can say about it, man. It’s hard. It’s definitely difficult. It’s only one way to put a stop to it and it’s, we have to go out there and win these games. Just being completely honest, we were better when we played them in the Garden this entire season. I know we lost Game 2 and 1, but Game 2 was better. The regular season was better. I was telling them, it felt louder here for them than it did in the Garden. We got to put a stop to it as a team. Winning these games, that’s gonna make our fans louder than theirs or whatever. I don’t know how to keep them out. I don’t know the logistics of it, but it does suck. I can’t even lie. It definitely does suck.”
Philadelphia did its exit interviews after the game, which means the Sixers likely won’t have a media availability involving a roster player until at least NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Through every interview with every player, the prevailing opinion was a clear one: The 76ers took strides and improved from last season. But they have a way to go.
There are major decisions to be made, perhaps some being made over the coming days. Among players, Quentin Grimes and Kelly Oubre Jr. will be unrestricted free agents. So, with that, the 76ers will have to figure out how to improve the roster, and get it to where the Knicks are. Doing so won’t be easy.
