BOSTON -- As the Philadelphia 76ers prepare to fight for their lives on Tuesday night against the Boston Celtics, the word of the day is "desperate". The Sixers trail the Celtics 3-1 in the series and are staring elimination in the face at TD Garden.

After a 128-96 loss in Game 4 at home on Sunday, star guard Tyrese Maxey described the team's mindset heading into this contest.

"I hate to say this, we got to wash it," Maxey said after Game 4. "We got to let it go right now, because it happened. We down 3-1, and we got a game on Tuesday, and our season is on the line. So, if that doesn't make you desperate."

Having Kyle Lowry repeat the same message in the locker room to the team following the loss means that the Sixers all have the same mindset. Lowry has been a real voice and presence for this team all season long. Therefore, when he speaks, the team listens, and they are going to try and play desperate basketball the rest of the way.

"He said you gotta be extremely desperate," Maxey added of Lowry's message. "One game at a time, and that's all there is to it, and if you’re not desperate on Tuesday, and you say you want to go home, then you go out there and you lay an egg. If you are desperate, and you go out there and you fight your tail off and you try to come back home."

The Sixers took the floor for shootaround on Tuesday morning looking to play that desperate style of basketball they need to play to keep their season alive. They have won in Boston before and they will need to dig deep in order to do it again.

"I think it speaks for itself," Adem Bona added. "Just do everything you can do and more. Go out there and give all we can do and leave nothing on the table. We’re going out there and fighting as hard as we can."

The team is preparing for shootaround this morning #Sixers pic.twitter.com/cY499WP6IU

Tip off from TD Garden is set for 7 p.m. EDT on Tuesday night.

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers discuss need to play desperate basketball in Game 5 vs. Celtics