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3 Sixers Who Cost Philadelphia Most in Game 4 Blowout Loss to Celtics

There is a lot of blame to go around for the Sixers after suffering another playoff blowout loss.
Jacob Moreno|
Apr 10, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Apr 10, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

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Philadelphia 76ers

Joel Embiid thrust his hips as Matt Cord introduced him into the Sixers’ starting lineup for the first time in 20 days on Sunday night.

Anticipation and hope engulfed Xfinity Mobile Arena as Philadelphia fans dreamt of their team tying the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Boston Celtics at two games each.

That hope turned into despair as Payton Pritchard nailed a one-legged half-court shot at the first-quarter buzzer to give the Celtics a 16-point lead. The Sixers never got within single digits again.

Philadelphia unraveled against Boston in Game 4 to face a potentially fatal 3-1 series deficit on Sunday night. Rookie guard VJ Edgecombe said the Sixers lacked effort, but they were equally bad on the tactical side as well.

Game 4 marked the first time in Sixers history where they lost two playoff games by at least 32 points in one postseason.

The following three Sixers struggled the most on Sunday.

Tyrese Maxey

Clean looks are a commodity that Tyrese Maxey has rarely enjoyed in the postseason, but he kept firing shots anyway. He attempted 79 field goals with only 31 landing in the first three games of the series.

Sunday was a different story. He became passive and disappeared from Philadelphia’s offensive process entirely.

Maxey took only three shot attempts in the first half as the Sixers fell into an 18-point hole. While the two-time All-Star came out more aggressive after halftime—he clocked out with 22 points and six assists—it was too little, too late.

Maxey's struggles did not come out of nowhere. Ever since he and Edgecombe torched Boston’s drop coverage in the Sixers' 111-97 Game 2 win, the Celtics have implemented effective adjustments. Boston has played its centers closer to the level of the screen and made a concentrated effort to fight through screens, both of which have deterred Maxey’s driving ability.

The Sixers also sought to reacclimate Embiid to the offense early on. Embiid received many isolations and pick-and-pop opportunities, finishing with a team-high 21 shot attempts. Maxey struggled to impose his will between the Celtics’ defensive tactics and Embiid’s presence.

“That absolutely can't happen,” Maxey said afterward. “That's just unacceptable by me. It wasn't meant to happen that way. We can't win basketball games with that happening, and I take full responsibility on that one.”

Andre Drummond

Nick Nurse started Adem Bona in the first three postseason games, but Andre Drummond logged 15 more minutes than the sophomore. Neither were effective during Embiid’s absence.

Fans hoped that returning to the bench would re-energize the backup bigs. Drummond was the primary reserve center on Sunday, but that did not happen. The same issues persisted.

The Celtics, as they did in the first three games, exploited Drummond’s slow-footedness on the perimeter through pick-and-rolls and botched coverages. He could not close out on shooters in time, and his immobility did not allow Philadelphia to rotate as precisely. Boston shot above 42% from deep for the second straight game as a result, amongst many other defensive issues.

Although Bona has suffered his fair share of struggles, his defensive prowess could have helped the Sixers better secure the perimeter. He and Drummond combined to play nine minutes, as the Sixers could not find an answer at the 5 other than Embiid.

In Game 5, Nurse could explore playing Barlow at center or increasing Jabari Walker’s usage. The team essentially has nothing to lose at this point in the series.

Kelly Oubre Jr.

Kelly Oubre Jr. entered Game 4 as questionable with right adductor soreness but took the court regardless. The wing’s effort was commendable, but he was not 100% as evidenced by his two points on 0-of-6 shooting from the field.

Oubre looked uncomfortable off the bounce, forcing low-quality interior shots through a hoard of Celtics. The 30-year-old is typically a decent finisher while absorbing contact, but that was not there. Oubre drew defenders on the move and did not capitalize, not seeing Maxey open beyond the arc twice in the first 24 minutes.

Whether Oubre’s adductor troubled him is unclear, but he also struggled to consistently stay in front of his assignment. Oubre’s energy has been contagious during his three years in Philadelphia, but his limitations seemingly prevented him from making those high-energy plays in a game where the Sixers needed their spirits raised.

“One game, everything on the line to play the best basketball possible because you either win or you have a couple of months to think about it—wasn't a horrible season, but could have been better,” Embiid said after the game. “So it's all about taking one game at a time and win one, come back to Philadelphia is the mentality.”

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Jacob Moreno
JACOB MORENO

Jacob Moreno is a Sports Media major at Temple University who aspires to become a 76ers beat writer. He previously contributed to The Sixer Sense and also covers Temple Athletics for The Temple News. He is a huge Marvel nerd and falls victim to expensive Lego sets.

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