Celtics dominate – Joel Embiid returned after emergency appendectomy, but the Celtics blew past the 76ers 128-96 in Game 4 to seize a 3-1 series lead.
Joel Embiid’s return from an emergency appendectomy turned into a test of timing more than anything else—because the Boston Celtics were already moving too fast.
In Game 4, Embiid played for the 76ers despite undergoing surgery less than a month earlier, and he still started strong.. He scored the first eight points for Philadelphia. including a two-handed dunk on the break. and finished the first quarter with 10 points as the home team looked ready to push back.
But the Celtics absorbed that early momentum and then changed the pace in a way that mattered.. Boston closed the opening period on an 11-2 run. highlighted by Payton Pritchard’s buzzer-beater. and turned a competitive first stretch into a statement lead.. By halftime. Boston’s advantage had grown to 18. and the second half simply confirmed what the scoreboard was already hinting: Philadelphia wasn’t going to regain control.
A return from surgery is never a simple storyline.. Appendicitis typically requires recovery time. and Embiid’s situation followed the classic arc—diagnosed in early April. operated on in Houston. then forced out of the regular season and the start of the playoffs.. He had been listed as doubtful entering Game 4 and wore a protective wrap around his midsection. a detail that underscored how much was still being managed physically.
Yet the most important question wasn’t whether Embiid could play—it was whether he could play at the speed the Celtics demand.. His stat line reflected the tradeoffs: 26 points and 10 rebounds, but with 9-of-21 shooting and only 1-of-6 from three.. Boston’s defense didn’t erase his impact; it limited his efficiency and forced the 76ers into a wider gap between what Embiid could do and what the team needed around him.
The Celtics, meanwhile, spread responsibility and made Philadelphia pay for every drift.. Pritchard’s night off the bench was a major difference-maker—32 points with six three-pointers—and Jayson Tatum delivered a complete performance with 30 points. 11 assists and seven rebounds.. Boston sank 24 threes compared to Philadelphia’s nine. and that spacing swing is often what turns playoff runs from “keep it close” into “take it away.” Once the perimeter shooting locked in. Boston’s offensive rhythm became relentless and durable.
There’s also a bigger trend hiding inside the final margin.. This series has leaned heavily into availability and depth, and Embiid’s history with injuries adds weight to that reality.. He has spent multiple seasons showing up in fewer than 40 games. with other health issues arriving alongside this year’s appendicitis—an oblique strain. a right knee concern. a shin issue. and lingering knee problems from last season.. In the short term, that doesn’t prevent him from competing.. In the long term, it increases how quickly opponents can exploit any drop in timing or movement.
Philadelphia needed more than a productive return—they needed a full team lift.. Tyrese Maxey scored 22 points and Paul George added 16. but the Celtics were better at converting those contributions into a cohesive offense while also pressuring the 76ers’ scoring choices.. The result was a 128-96 win, a 32-point swing that left no room for “almost.”
Now Boston sits one victory away from advancing. holding a 3-1 lead as the series heads to Game 5 in Boston on Tuesday night.. Even if Embiid is physically ready to continue. the pattern so far suggests the burden on Philadelphia is heavier than simply “catching up” on health.. The Celtics are rolling—built to sustain pressure across quarters, and confident enough to let bench production pile up.
Game 5 will likely come down to whether Philadelphia can narrow the shooting and pace gaps without asking Embiid to carry more than his body can comfortably sustain.. If the 76ers can’t match Boston’s three-point volume and defensive discipline. Embiid’s return may become less of a comeback and more of a reminder of how quickly a series can tilt when one team’s rhythm never breaks.