Joel Embiid returned to the floor after 17 days, having undergone an appendectomy. His return came as a surprise, as the Philadelphia 76ers’ star’s status before the game was doubtful. In fact, 90 minutes before tip-off, The Process was questionable. However, he showed up to start the night, only to face a 32-point blowout loss against 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.

Joel Embiid played 34 minutes and scored 26 points, but his efficiency told a different story. He shot 9-21 from the field (42.9%) and just 1-6 from three (16.7%), showing poor shot selection and rhythm. Even his 7-9 free throws (77.8%) were slightly below his usual standards. Despite adding 10 rebounds and 6 assists, his -25 plus/minus highlighted how heavily the team struggled when he was on the floor.

The bigger issue was impact. His 42.9% FG and 16.7% 3PT couldn’t stretch Boston’s defense, allowing tighter coverage inside. While 10 rebounds look solid, the team still lost the rebounding battle 51-30, exposing limited interior control. His 3 turnovers and inability to dominate physically reduced his influence. Even with 26 points, the lack of efficiency and control made his performance feel empty in a 128-96 blowout.

Therefore, after a 17-day layoff, Joel Embiid was thrust straight into the starting lineup and logged heavy involvement. And this didn’t sit well with Alan Hahn, who was likely hoping for a fiery matchup. Embiid posted a 37.8% usage rate—2nd-highest in the 2026 playoffs—and took 21 shots, despite clear conditioning concerns. That workload, paired with his shooting flaws, showed he wasn’t in rhythm. Instead of easing him back, Philadelphia leaned on him immediately, which disrupted spacing and stalled offensive flow.

“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. We didn’t play well.” Meanwhile, the 32-year-old returned to a thunderous reception and made an immediate impact. Playing his first game since April 6, he opened the scoring with two free throws, powered through for a strong two-handed dunk, and quickly put up the team’s first eight points, setting an aggressive tone early in his comeback performance.

But unfortunately, the efforts weren’t enough as the Boston Celtics didn’t give the Sixers time to breathe in the crucial Game 4 of the first round of the playoff series.

Joel Embiid & Co. didn’t stand a chance against the Celtics

The Philadelphia 76ers walked into Game 4 and walked right into a 96-128 wall against the Boston Celtics. The quarter splits told the story quickly: 18-34, then 20-22, followed by 36-39, and finally 22-33. Boston controlled every stretch, building a massive 32-point lead while cruising to a 3-1 series edge. Meanwhile, the 76ers never found sustained rhythm, trailing in pace, execution, and composure across all four quarters.

Then came the shooting gap, and it was brutal. Philadelphia shot 33/80, a modest 41.3%, while Boston fired back with 42/87 at 48.3%. From deep, it turned lopsided fast: 9/30 at 30.0% versus a scorching 24/53 at 45.3%. Free throws leaned Philly’s way at 21/24 for 87.5%, compared to Boston’s 20/28 at 71.4%. However, that edge barely mattered with such a massive perimeter collapse.

Inside, Boston dominated the glass 51-30, including 14 offensive boards to 6 and 37 defensive to 24. They also edged assists 28-25. Philadelphia had 7 blocks and 6 steals, slightly ahead of Boston’s 5 and 5. Yet, Boston forced control with 12 turnovers to Philly’s 8 but limited damage, allowing only 15 points off turnovers against their 11. Add 14 fast break points to 5, 32 paint points to 34, and a sharp 1.30 points per possession over 1.03, and the gap becomes crystal clear.

Meanwhile, players like Joel Embiid (26/10/6) andTyrese Maxey (22/2/6) tried to hold the fort for Philly. On the other hand, Jayson Tatum’s 30/7/11, Jaylen Brown’s 20/7/1, and Payton Pritchard’s 32/4/5 sealed the Celtics’ fate. Ultimately, the Philadelphia 76ers fell behind with a 1-3 record, now waiting for Game 5 to turn the tables.