NBA Playoffs Philadelphia 76ers defeat Boston Celtics thanks to 33 points from Joel Embiid, who also grabbed the series lead.

Thanks to an outstanding effort by Embiid, the Philadelphia 76ers now lead the series against the Boston Celtics. On May 10, 2023, Joel Embiid scored 33 points as the Philadelphia 76ers easily defeated the Boston Celtics 115-103 to take a 3-2 series lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals. When they host Game 6 on Thursday night, the 76ers have a chance to win the series and advance to the conference finals. In the fourth quarter, the 76ers led by as many as 21 points while the Celtics were jeered by the home crowd. For the third time in the series, Embiid scored 30 points, adding seven rebounds, four blocks, and three 3-pointers to his tally.Adding 30 points and six 3-pointers, Tyrese Maxey. In the end, James Harden had 17 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds. Despite only making 11 of 27 field goal attempts, Jayson Tatum led Boston with 36 points. Jaylen Brown scored 24 points in total. The Celtics shot 12 of 38 from beyond the arc. The 76ers were blown out in Game 5 the last two times they were in a second-round series that was knotted 2-2 — a 36-point loss to Toronto in 2019 and a 35-point loss to Miami last season. The 76ers held an 88-72 advantage going into the fourth quarter after leading by as much as 19 points in the third.The Celtics quickly made up ground, cutting the lead to 11, but Philadelphia answered with a 10-2 run that increased the score back to 102-83. From the beginning, Philadelphia made a deliberate attempt to get the ball to Embiid in the post. As Boston's big men were yanked out of the paint, he was able to sink midrange jumpers, opening the field for his teammates. The Celtics, however, never seemed to find their shot. Early on, the 76ers held an advantage in offensive rebounds, and Embiid's pick-and-roll settings at Al Horford were successful.