Joe Mazzulla is giving Joel Embiid the respect he deserves even after the Celtics took a 3-1 series lead after scoring a Game 4 blowout win.

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has been upgraded to questionable ahead of Sunday's Game 4 against the Boston Celtics.

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla understands how talented Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is, even when coming off surgery.

Boston took control of this NBA-record 23d playoff series between the storied franchises with a bug-meet-windshield 128-96 romp in Game 4 Sunday night behind swaggering sixth man Payton Pritchard (32 points).

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid returned to the court for Sunday's blowout loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference Playoff matchup.

For the first time all series, Embiid is not the only player on the injury report. Kelly Oubre Jr. is listed as questionable with right adductor soreness. Oubre played nearly 40 minutes in Game 3, including crunch time, so it’s hard to tell when this might have happened.

Joel Embiid didn’t lose Game 4 for the 76ers. He didn’t win it for them, either. Somewhere in between is a conundrum that will define the upcoming Sixers summer and those in the foreseeable future. How do you fashion a competitive roster that is centered around two young scoring guards but also accommodates a ball-dominant center whenever he happens to be available to play?

CAMDEN, N.J. -- The Philadelphia 76ers got back to work on Saturday for a big film session as the team prepares for a big Game 4 matchup with the Boston Celtics. The Sixers will be looking to avoid a 3-1 hole before this series shifts back to the TD Garden.