Almost everyone had called time on the Philadelphia 76ers after the end of Game 4. Most felt Game 5 would end with the Boston Celtics going to the semifinals. Despite the unexpected return of Joel Embiid and the massive effort by Tyrese Maxey, they and their teammates suffered a humiliating aftermath from losing on the home floor. However, the Sixers aren’t ready to start their summer vacations just yet. Following an unforeseen 113–97 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 5 on Tuesday night, the duo spoke candidly about the internal fire sparked by their previous “disgraceful” showing.

For Joel Embiid, the win was a personal rebuttal to those questioning his durability and effort following an emergency medical procedure. For Tyrese Maxey, who’s been carrying the shorthanded squad all season, he viewed the night as a necessary act of penance for the Philadelphia faithful.

“Our fans deserve a win at home. We lost a tough one, then we got blown out the water. So we deserve to go out there and fight,” Maxey told reporters tonight, reflecting on the 32-point blowout loss in Game 4. “After that performance that we put on last time in front of our fans that was a disgrace and it was unacceptable. And so I know I plan on making sure our teammates, my teammates go out there and we fight, and we fight, we scratch, and we claw, and we try to get another W.”

Maxey backed up his words with a stellar 25-point, 10-rebound double-double, providing the relentless energy the Sixers lacked just 48 hours prior. It was redemptive not just for him, but also for his oft-misunderstood teammate. Embiid, who led all scorers with 33 points and 8 assists, used tonight’s win to address the “lazy” narrative that often follows his injury-plagued postseasons.

“The one thing about me is, you know, I’ve dealt with a lot of stuff over my career. I don’t complain, I just want to give as much as I can every single time I step on the floor,” Embiid stated. “I know a lot of people might have takes of that I might be lazy or whatever, but every single time I’m on the floor I want to play as hard as possible. I want to do whatever it takes to win a basketball game… I just want to play basketball whether I’m good physically or mentally.”

The context of this turnaround cannot be overstated for Embiid, Maxey, and the entire Sixers team. As they forced Game 6, intent to tie the series, and then take it home, their determination to challenge the narrative is palpable.

Pressure to impress home crowd weighs heavy on Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey

The 76ers entered Game 5 trailing 3-1 after a Game 4 where Philadelphia locals watched their team get outscored by 32 points while allowing Boston to shoot 24 three-pointers. That embarrassment served as the primary motivator for a Philly squad that looked fired up at TD Garden.

Joel Embiid’s performance was particularly heroic given he is only 19 days removed from an emergency appendectomy on April 9. Despite a brief third-quarter scare that sent him to the locker room with a knee tweak, he returned to spark a 12-0 run that put the game out of reach.

The biggest shift in narrative he forced could be seen in Magic Johnson. While he had previously called the series in Celtics’ favor, tonight he formally apologized to the Sixers for writing them off.

The change in tone has obviously gotten to Embiid who said, “It means a lot. Obviously I fought, I pushed very hard to come back and to try to help as much as I can,” Embiid said regarding the series deficit being narrowed to 3-2. “I’m glad we won today. I didn’t want to go home and think about it all summer of what could have been if I was healthy going into the playoffs.”

Embiid remains grateful for the opportunity to keep swinging, noting, “I’m just thankful to be in a position where I get to play. You know I don’t know how long I have, I can do this. So I just want to enjoy as much as possible.” But the commentary on his uncontrollable availability is not lost on him.

Alongside Maxey and a 16-point contribution from Paul George, the Sixers held the Celtics to a meager 11 points in the fourth quarter. Quentin Grimes put on a defensive masterclass that silenced the Boston crowd and held Jayson Tatum to 24 points at a 54% true shooting efficiency, a massive drop from the 75% two days ago.

As the series heads back to Philadelphia for Game 6 on Thursday, the mission remains clear for a Sixers team that was once written off. They plan to not just claim the series, but also give their home crowd a game that will wash away the bitter taste of Game 4.