Joel Embiid returned from an emergency appendectomy after 17 days, and what was supposed to spark the Philadelphia 76ers quickly flipped into a nightmare. Listed as doubtful and only upgraded shortly before tip-off, Embiid still started Game 4, but his comeback ended in a 128-96 blowout loss to the Boston Celtics.

Following the loss, ESPN’s voice Alan Hahn pointed fingers at the 32-year-old 2023 MVP. “Why did he need to start?… Why did you have to take all the shots?… He ruined everything, and that was not his intent,” Hahn said via Get Up.

Embiid logged 34 minutes and finished with 26 points, but the numbers underneath told a different story. He shot 9-21 from the field and just 1-6 from three, showing clear rust in rhythm and shot selection after the layoff. Even with 10 rebounds and 6 assists, his -25 plus/minus captured how badly the Sixers struggled with him on the floor.

The bigger issue was impact. His inefficient shooting allowed Boston to stay compact defensively, shrinking the floor and limiting driving lanes. Despite his 10 rebounds, Philadelphia lost the glass 51-30, showing how little control they had inside. Add in three turnovers and a lack of physical dominance, and his 26 points carried minimal real influence in a one-sided game.

After a 17-day layoff, Embiid was not eased back in. He was immediately placed into a primary role and posted a massive 37.8% usage rate while taking 21 shots. That decision drew criticism because it ignored conditioning concerns and disrupted the team’s offensive balance. Instead of gradually reintegrating him, Philadelphia leaned fully into him, and the offense stalled as a result.

This situation is not new for Joel Embiid. Throughout his playoff career, he has often returned from injuries and needed time to regain rhythm, but his high-usage role makes those transitions more difficult. In postseason basketball, where spacing and timing are critical, even slight rust can disrupt an entire system.

“You try to do the best job possible with the conditions,” Embiid said after the game. “You’ve still got to go out there and try and play and win a basketball game. We didn’t do that tonight.” To his credit, the return started strong. He opened with free throws, threw down a powerful dunk, and scored the team’s first eight points, drawing a huge reaction from the home crowd before the game quickly slipped away. That early burst made the collapse that followed even more jarring, as the game quickly flipped once Boston settled into its defensive rhythm.

But that early momentum did not last, as Boston overwhelmed Philadelphia from the opening quarter and never allowed them to recover.

Joel Embiid & Co. did not stand a chance against the Celtics

Philadelphia ran into a dominant Boston performance and never found footing in the 128-96 loss. The Celtics controlled every quarter, jumping out early and maintaining full control throughout the game to take a 3-1 series lead. The Sixers lagged behind in pace, execution, and composure from start to finish.

The shooting gap defined the night. Philadelphia hit just 33 of 80 shots, while Boston connected on 42 of 87. From three-point range, the difference was overwhelming, the Celtics knocked down 24 threes compared to just 9 from the Sixers, completely flipping the game with perimeter dominance.

Boston also dominated the glass 51-30 and controlled the overall flow with better ball movement and efficiency. Even in areas where Philadelphia held slight edges, it did not translate into meaningful runs, as Boston maintained control on both ends throughout the game.

Meanwhile, Embiid (26/10/6) and Tyrese Maxey (22/2/6) tried to keep Philadelphia afloat. On the other side, Jayson Tatum (30/7/11), Jaylen Brown (20/7/1), and Payton Pritchard (32/4/5) powered Boston to a comfortable win. The 76ers now trail 3-1 in the series, heading into a must-win Game 5.