The Boston Celtics saw their season come to a crashing thud on Saturday night, as the likely Eastern Conference favorites were beaten on their home floor by the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of the first round series.

The Celtics blew a 3-1 series lead to drop the series, and they played Game 7 without Jayson Tatum, who was ruled out with left knee stiffness.

Boston trailed by as many as 18 before cutting it to one late, but they ultimately lost 109-100.

After the game, 76ers big man Joel Embiid, who missed the first three games of the series while recovering from an appendectomy, took a shot at Celtics guard Payton Pritchard.

"I saw #11 on the team before I came back he said they didn't care if I was playing or not...when the other team doesn't worry about you… helps you have better games. I thank #11 for that.”

Embiid clearly knows Pritchard's name, so referring to him as "No. 11" is just a sign of his coldness and irritation about the whole situation. Whether Pritchard truly wasn't worried about Embiid or was just saying that to project confidence isn't known, and it's not really relevant. All that matters is Embiid was a true difference maker when he returned.

He scored 19 points or more in each of the four games he played, and he posted 34 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in Game 7.

One of the more criticized players in the league because of his injury history, Embiid will now have another opportunity to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. The 76ers will have to go through the New York Knicks in the semifinals.

As for the Celtics, they are on to a difficult offseason full of questions. Will they keep Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum together? Assuming they do, how will they supplement the roster around them? Will they keep Derrick White, Pritchard and Sam Hauser, while hoping for better results? Or will they look to take a big swing in the trade or free agency markets?

It all remains to be seen, but unfortunately, Brad Stevens will have months to try to figure out those answers.

This is the first time that the Celtics have been eliminated in the first round in the last five years. Boston went to the NBA Finals in 2021-22 and won the title in 2023-24 with the same core that made up this group.

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