Sixers embracing competition ahead of Round 1 series with Celtics

TL;DR

The Philadelphia 76ers are set to face the Boston Celtics as underdogs in their Round 1 playoff series, missing star Joel Embiid. Despite the challenge, players emphasize their commitment to compete fiercely.

Key points

Philadelphia 76ers are the No. 7 seed in the playoffs.
Joel Embiid is out recovering from an appendectomy.
The Sixers have faced the Celtics without Embiid before.
Players emphasize the importance of competition.
Coach Nick Nurse must create an effective game plan.

Mentioned in this story

Nick Nurse

Philadelphia 76ersBoston CelticsJoel Embiid

CAMDEN, N.J. -- The Philadelphia 76ers are going to be big underdogs when they enter the TD Garden for Game 1 of their Round 1 series with the Boston Celtics on Sunday. The Sixers are the No. 7 seed and will be without Joel Embiid for the foreseeable future as he recovers from his appendectomy.

With that being said, the Sixers played two games against the Celtics without Embiid. They know what it's like to battle them without their star big man and will look to others to lead the way until the 2023 MVP winner can return. They know who the Celtics are. That doesn't mean they're going to back down or anything.

"We've given them their respect, but at the end of the day, man, it's competition," said Paul George at practice on Friday. "It's competition. We got to go and compete. They got to go and compete. That's just what it boils down to without going too further into it. It’s a competition at the end of the day. So, they got to beat us and do what they got to do, and we have to come in with the same mindset. So it's two sides, same agendas. We’re not gonna back down. They’re not gonna back down, and it's just going to be what it is."

As for coach Nick Nurse and his staff, they have to come up with a game plan that will help Philadelphia succeed. No matter what happens at this stage, the Sixers will be relying on others to step in and produce. That is where Nurse and the coaching staff has to come in and make sure they are in the best position to produce.

"I think I got to see what we see, right?" explained Nurse. "We gotta do the best we can to put a great game plan together. We got to get our guys locked in, to go out there and execute it, and then we've got to play like hell. I mean, we got to go out there and play as hard as hard as we absolutely can and see if the game plan—playing hard is right or not, and then we start making adjustments, and go from there."

Game 1 is set for 1 p.m. EDT on Sunday afternoon from Boston.

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers embracing competition ahead of Round 1 series with Celtics

Q&A

How will the Sixers perform without Joel Embiid against the Celtics?

The Sixers have previously played two games against the Celtics without Embiid and are preparing to rely on other players to step up in his absence.

What is the significance of the Sixers being the No. 7 seed in the playoffs?

Being the No. 7 seed means the Sixers are considered underdogs in the series against the higher-seeded Celtics, impacting their playoff expectations.

What strategies will the Sixers' coach implement for the Celtics series?

Coach Nick Nurse and his staff are tasked with developing a game plan that maximizes the team's strengths and compensates for Embiid's absence.