Time To Worry?
Following a 88-103 loss in game 5 is it time to worry? Philadelphia had a 3-0 lead over the Toronto Raptors which turned into a 3-2 lead after losing 2 straight games to Toronto. Now we go back to Toronto with our backs against the wall. Ever since Joel Embiid’s injury he has not played like himself and the team has not played the way they played in the first three games of this playoff series. To me there are three things that concern me right now, Joel Embiid, James Harden, and Doc Rivers.
First off Joel Embiid’s impact on the game has slightly changed and faded because of his torn ligament in his thumb. If he can get back to playing like himself that would be great but I fear game 3 was the best basketball we will see from embiid at least in the offensive aspect until he gets the necessary surgery. One has to remain optimistic however this doesn’t seem good and we need a way for other players to play well while he isn’t 100%.
Secondly James Harden needs to step up and make a bigger impact. If this team has any chance it is through him taking a bigger role and taking better shots. In my opinion James still has it in him to play in the biggest of moments, he needs to just assert a level of dominance that we have yet to see in this playoff series as he should be dominating alongside Embiid. If he can bring this it would be a big deal.
My third concern is Doc Rivers, he is historically known as a coach who can not get it down and loses a series he should win. Doc in my opinion is a slightly overrated coach but he does have the ability to coach well enough to win this series but I am still nervous about the possibility of being the first team in league history to blow a 3-0 lead.
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Categorized:Sixers