76ers fans boo their star at the end of another loss

With Super Bowl heroes Cooper DeJean and Zack Baun sitting courtside Tuesday, the Philadelphia 76ers dropped a winnable game to the 17-37 Toronto Raptors, a team that had won just four road games all season.

They had a chance to win at the end when Tyrese Maxey found Joel
Embiid wide-open behind the three-point line, trailing by two, but Embiid passed up the shot, drove awkwardly into the lane and turned the ball over. It wasn't the Raptors defense, either — Embiid lost the ball trying to dribble between his legs.

After Toronto's Gradey Dick came up with the ball and the Sixers fouled him on the way to a 106-103 defeat, the fans began booing loudly. All the joy from Sunday's Eagles blowout had left them, and they began voicing their displeasure with Embiid and the team, which dropped to a season-worst 13 games below .500.

Philadelphia fans are known for their passion, and especially known for their booing. This is the city that pelted Santa Claus with snowballs during an Eagles game in 1968.

The misery of this Sixers season has been so intense that it's managed to counteract the joy Philly fans have felt after winning a second Super Bowl in eight years. 

The 76ers, who brought in All-Star Paul George and a group of veteran role players alongside Embiid and All-Star Tyrese Maxey, have been bad from the very beginning of the season. Philly sold off players at the trade deadline and learned this weekend that Embiid would need another knee surgery and a lengthy recovery.

Embiid won MVP in the 2022-23 season, but he's never truly recovered from a knee injury from a year ago. He's moving awkwardly and shooting a career-low 45.4 percent, with significant drops in his rates of rebounds, steals and blocks. The Raptors seemed to recognize his decline, sending two defenders after Maxey and ignoring Embiid on the crucial play.

It's not likely to get better soon. Both the banged-up Embiid and the frequently injured George are signed for three more seasons for a combined $315M. Embiid is due over $67M in 2028-29. At least there's no snow inside their arena.