Joel Embiid showed up at TD Garden and did exactly what Philadelphia needed. The 76ers beat the Boston Celtics 113-97 in the NBA Playoffs first round, trimming the series to 3-2. Embiid finished with 33 points, 8 assists and a team-best +13 plus-minus in 38:55 on the floor. On Sofascore, his Sofascore Rating came in at 8.6.

Scoring line that set the tone

Embiid scored 33 on 12-of-23 shooting, going 12-of-18 on two-pointers and 9-of-10 at the line. He missed all five threes, but his work inside and at the stripe carried Philadelphia’s offense. The 76ers leaned on him with a usage rate of 37.5 percent, and he delivered.

His second and third quarters did the heavy lifting. Embiid put up 13 in the 2nd and 10 in the 3rd as the 76ers outscored Boston 35-29 in the third period to take control.

Playmaking from the post

The big man did not just score. He led the team in assists with 8, directing traffic from the elbow and finding cutters when the double came. Four of those dimes arrived early in the 1st quarter, helping the 76ers settle in on the road.

Turnovers stayed manageable at 3, and he drew contact that put pressure on Boston’s defense. He also added 1 block and 4 rebounds.

Efficiency check

Embiid’s efficiency metrics backed up the eye test. He posted a 52.2 percent effective field goal percentage and a 60.2 percent true shooting percentage. That is strong volume scoring without sacrificing shot quality.

He did most of his damage inside the arc, where he went 12-of-18. The free throws mattered too, as he hit 9-of-10 to steady the 76ers during key stretches.

Fourth quarter swing

When it mattered, Embiid closed. He scored 8 points on 3-of-4 shooting in the 4th quarter, posting a +14 in the frame as Philadelphia finished the job. Boston managed just 11 points in the period while the 76ers tallied 28.

The series now sits at 3-2 in favor of the Celtics, but this performance keeps Philadelphia firmly in the fight. At TD Garden with 19,156 in attendance, Embiid led by example.

Quarter-by-quarter snapshot

1st quarter: 2 points on 1-of-6 shooting, but 4 assists kept the offense moving.
2nd quarter: 13 points with a 4-of-7 line and 5-of-6 at the line, plus a block.
3rd quarter: 10 points on 4-of-6, adding two boards and another assist.
4th quarter: 8 points, 3-of-4 from the field, and a +14 that sealed the 113-97 win.

On Sofascore, Embiid earned a Sofascore Rating of 8.6, reflecting high usage, strong finishing inside, and timely playmaking. Fans can track live ratings, full box score, and play-by-play for NBA games on Sofascore.