By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
With the Celtics getting the 4-0 sweep over the Sixers, many things are expected to change in Philadelphia for next season.
Coach Brett Brown is expected to be released and he didn’t hide behind his finger: “The way our season ended is disappointing. You can’t phrase it any other way. This season, to me, was riddled with an amazing abundance of injuries. This season was a challenge putting people where they should be placed. The job of an NBA head coach is to get the most (out of a team) and I did not do that”.
Franchise star Joel Embiid also admitted: “It’s frustrating. I would say it’s not a lucky year. It was just a weird season – one we can all look back at and have a lot of regrets”.
And when he was asked why the Sixers didn’t win the series and if he could pinpoint an issue in the roster, coaching, injuries or anything else, Embiid reacted: “That’s a very stupid question. There is no issue, we just didn’t win.”
However, when he was asked about his coach, Embiid almost confirmed with his answer that Brown is leaving: “Great guy. He’s an even better person than a coach. He cares about his players. … He’s going to be a friend no matter what”.
Tobias Harris who had a nasty fall, but return to the game after getting stitches, was more hurt about his playoffs exit: “It’s tough to lose. Disappointed because as a competitor, you want to win and have a run. I feel as if we have enough talent to make a run. We just didn’t get it done”.
Harris also supported his coach: “With Ben Simmons going down, I thought coach did a good job trying to rally us and keep going. … I’ll take ownership of myself trying to be a leader on this team and not being successful in the playoffs. I got to be able to lead my team better”.
With all the key players of the roster locked to multiyear deals, it’s almost certain that the Sixers would try to pursue a trade in the off-season.