Joel Embiid's strong return wasn't enough, as Sixers lose Game 4 to Celtics; Mike Tirico channels WIP

Joel Embiid emerged from the tunnel leading to the 76ers’ locker room to cheers as fans realized there was a real possibility that he would make his NBA playoff debut 17 days after undergoing an emergency appendectomy.

He sported a bulky brace under his clothing and it was clear that he wasn’t 100%, but Embiid completed yet another heroic return. And it looked like just that as Embiid scored his team’s first eight points in the early moments of the Sixers’ 126-96 Game 4 loss to the Boston Celtics. That stint included a highlight dunk and impressive post finish over Nikola Vučević.

From there, Embiid sputtered, his teammates struggled and it was all Celtics. Payton Pritchard scorched the Sixers with 32 points, Jayson Tatum added 30 and Jaylen Brown had 20.

The unstoppable Payton Pritchard?

Off the bench, the Celtics point guard had a game-high 32 points, powering Boston to the 95-74 lead with just one quarter remaining.

For sake of comparison, the Sixers' bench has 13 points combined.

A game that featured Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown became all about... Payton Pritchard.

His emergence, not Embiid's return, was the story of the first half and helped the Celtics take a 56-38 into the half.

Pritchard scored 18 points in the first half and he let the Sixers hear about it every time, demonstratively talking to the crowd after every one of his four three-pointers.

The Boston Celtics looked a little rattled to start Game 4 of this first-round series at XfinIty Mobile Arena.

On his first shot Jaylen Brown airballed as Joel Embiid switched on to his three-point attempt. Derrick White similarly clanked an open three and Jayson Tatum threw the ball behind Nikola Vučević on a routine screen and roll. Neemias Queta two early fouls and a quick hook to the bench.

Perhaps Embiid's return – and the element of surprise – has had some effect on the Celtics.

Joel Embiid will return for Game 4 of the 76ers’ first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics Sunday night, 17 days after he underwent an appendectomy in Houston. 

This return adds a massive new layer to this series, which the Celtics lead two games to one entering Sunday. It also comes after a significantly shorter recovery duration for NBA players who have undergone this procedure. 

Per Jeff Stotts' In Street Clothes NBA injury database, the average time missed for an appendectomy is 23 days. That mark for Embiid falls on May 2, the day of a hypothetical Game 7 of this first-round series.

Sixers fans applauded and pointed toward as Joel Embiid walked onto the court here at Xfinity Mobile Arena. It was the last step in his early return from an April 9 appendectomy.

Embiid, who was expected to make an appearance late in this series – if at all – was listed as available for Game 4 and will start at center. He was listed as doubtful when the night started before being upgraded to questionable in the hours before tipoff.

When Embiid reached the court, he went his typical pregame routine, taking jumpers from three-point distance before venturing in to midrange, free throws and a final dunk.

The 76ers aren't the only team preparing for the possibility of Joel Embiid returning to this best-of-seven series.

The Boston Celtics also have to consider the possibility of the former MVP returning to the court after undergoing an appendectomy on April 9.

Asked about the uncertainty Embiid's absence and potential return have added to the series, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla responded as expected with a short response about focusing on his own team and the game right in front of him.

Joel Embiid was upgraded to questionable in the hours before the 76ers' Game 4 meeting with the Boston Celtics, the team announced.

This comes after he was a surprise change on the injury report prior to Game 3. Embiid, who underwent an appendectomy on April 9, was originally expected to miss this series as typical recovery time is longer than a month.

But after the Sixers stole a game in Boston, the possibility of him playing became more realistic as reporters and analysts started eyeing a potential Game 7 return based on the injury timeline for other players who dealt with the condition.

Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have combined to score 156 points against the 76ers in three games of their first-round series.

That's almost half of the Celtics' production in the series, and it still feels like we haven't seen Tatum at his best with the exception of the closing moments of Game 3.

It takes a special mentality to defend players like that.

It seems every member of the 76ers has a story about Paul George's mentorship.

Now in his 16th season, George has seen a little bit of everything. He's a nine-time All-Star and one of the early prototypes for the integration of three-and-D philosophy.

So when he speaks players like Justin Edwards, who admitted to modeling his game after George, are going to listen.

With 37.7 seconds left in Game 3 of their first-round series, the 76ers were in a good place. They'd defended the Celtics well and Nikola Vučević had just missed a three-pointer in the one-possession game.

But then Derrick White corralled the rebound and got the ball to Jayson Tatum. Boston's star wing then drained eight seconds off the shot clock and knocked down a back-breaking three from 29 feet.

It was one of several possessions where the Sixers defended well but failed to finish with the play with a rebound. Boston had 15 offensive rebounds in the game and won the rebounding battle, 30-24.

Another game, another channel.

Game 4 between the 76ers and Boston Celtics jumps to NBC, with Mike Tirico calling the action alongside Reggie Miller. Zora Stephenson will report from Xfinity Mobile Arena.

The Sixers-Celtics series has been all over the dial, including ABC, NBC Sports Network, and streaming on Amazon Prime Video, all thanks to the NBA's new 11-year, $76 billion rights deals that also robbed NBC Sports Philadelphia of airing the games in and around Philadelphia.

Justin Edwards said following the Sixers’ shootaround that Joel Embiid (appendectomy) participated in “a little bit” of the team session ahead of Sunday night’s Game 4 against the Boton Celtics.

“Looking forward to seeing if he’s able to play or not,” Edwards said.

Embiid, who has not played since his April 9 surgery, was still listed as doubtful on the NBA’s noon injury report. He went through an individual on-court workout Saturday afternoon, coach Nick Nurse said, and participated in part of Thursday’s practice ahead of Game 3.

VJ Edgecombe recognizes that he has probably become “annoying” to Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr.

But the 76ers’ rookie guard will continue peppering his veteran teammates with “nonstop” questions throughout their first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics.

“I just go there talking to them about any little thing I see,” Edgecombe said following Thursday’s practice. “Is this how it’s supposed to be? Is this how it’s not supposed to be?