Just two nights ago, the Philadelphia 76ers narrowly escaped elimination in New York, thanks to Tyrese Maxey’s miraculous performance. That comeback preserved their last glimmer of hope. But back on home court in a win-or-go-home Game 6, luck was nowhere to be found. According to Jeetbuzz Login analysts, the Sixers emptied the tank, fighting valiantly for four quarters, only to be handed a bitter postseason exit once again. This time, they watched helplessly as the grittier, more relentless, and more cohesive New York Knicks punched their ticket to the second round.
Philadelphia’s playoff heartbreak is nothing new. With this year’s result, the Sixers have now made the playoffs seven years in a row. Yet in that span, they’ve only managed five second-round appearances and two first-round exits — hardly the stuff of legends. This season, their cracks began to show even earlier. Late in the regular season, Joel Embiid’s unexpected knee injury threw the team’s plans into chaos. Although surgery allowed him to return just in time for the playoffs, it was clear the reigning MVP was far from fully recovered. His comeback was not a triumph, but a necessity.
As observed by Jeetbuzz Login, the Sixers did clinch a playoff berth, but they entered a bruising old-school series against the Knicks that exposed every one of their flaws. On the surface, it looked like a close fight — six hard-fought games, four losses that were all within reach. But beneath that illusion of parity lay a harsh truth: the outcome felt inevitable. The biggest issue was Embiid himself. After winning MVP last season, his profile rose to new heights, with many calling him the league’s most dominant individual force.
That reputation wasn’t without merit. Embiid won back-to-back scoring titles and showed marked improvement as a facilitator earlier this season, even outdueling Jokic in key matchups. But behind the highlight reels, his durability issues never went away. He still struggles to stay on the floor consistently and remains perpetually one awkward landing away from another stint on the sidelines.
His Jekyll-and-Hyde performances in the playoffs are not a mystery — they’re the result of Philadelphia’s repeated overreliance on him. Year after year, the team leans on Embiid until there’s nothing left in the tank. And as long as he remains their centerpiece, that pattern is unlikely to change. If the Sixers want to preserve Embiid’s peak performance for the moments that matter — deep into the postseason — they’ll need to manage his workload with far more precision. Unfortunately, they’ve failed to do so, with this season seeing him play through injury far too often.
So when Embiid looked sluggish and ineffective against the Knicks’ ferocious defense, it wasn’t a sudden collapse — it was the predictable result of a long, brutal grind. Critics may fault his emotional outbursts, his fragile body language, and his breakdowns in key moments, but it’s impossible to ignore the fact that this team lives and dies with him. Take Embiid off the court, and the Sixers become a shadow of themselves.
Even the front office, though perhaps not fully satisfied with Embiid, knows the reality — without him, things could get far worse. That’s why, looking ahead, the Sixers are expected to keep their core of Embiid and Maxey intact, making only minor tweaks around them. As Jeetbuzz Login predicts, the only real hope for the next one or two seasons is for Embiid to enjoy better health, and for coach Nick Nurse to make smarter, more cautious decisions with his superstar.
Because at the end of the day, if you wear the mask too long, taking it off will tear the skin with it. The Sixers have lived through this tragedy too many times — and unless something changes, history is doomed to repeat itself.