Image Credit: USA Today Sports
By: Hamael Rizvi-Syed
Boston had to win this game after they lost home-court advantage and were down 0-1 in the series after a stellar James Harden performance in Game 1 that led the 76ers to the win.
Jayson Tatum started the first half in foul trouble as he got 3 fouls in 12 minutes of playtime and was forced to sit out for the majority of the first half. The Celtics co-star Jaylen Brown took over in the first half scoring 16pts on 6/9 shooting from the field. Marcus Smart was also a factor in the first half as he dropped 13pts on 6/12 shooting and notched 5 rebounds, and helped the Celtics take an 8pt lead at halftime.
Boston in the 3rd quarter, was clicking offensively, as they outscored the 76ers 35 to 16 and shot 45% from three and 50% from the field. Derrick White helped spark this offensive explosion as he shot 4/4 from the field and 2/2 from three. However, the 76ers weren’t able to spark any offense as the 3 main stars James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, and Joel Embiid combined for 1/11 shooting and 3pts total in the 3rd quarter.
In the 4th quarter, both teams sat their starters and let the bench players play out the rest of the game. The score ended up in favor of the Celtics as they won 121-87.
Boston truly won this game based on many players stepping up when Jayson Tatum was having a bad game. Players like Smart, Brogdan, and White provided a spark that helped the Celtics get the win. If Boston is going to win this series is going to be due to the play of those 3 because they can provide a solid offense performance and help with the defense against the guards James Harden and Tyrese Maxey.
The 76ers lost this game because they could really get nothing going offensively and they just looked out of sync on the court. Joel Embiid had some trouble with his landing and balance with the knee brace throughout the game as he fell multiple times after taking a shot. After dropping 45pts in Game 1, Harden went cold from the field and really struggled to find his spots throughout the game. If the 76ers want to win this series they need James Harden to provide decent offensive performances and have other guys like Tobias Harris, Tyrese Maxey, and De’Anthony Melton to match or perform the depth the Boston Celtics currently have right now.
This series is currently tied 1-1 and Game 3 will be played at Philadelphia on Friday (4:30pm pst/7:30pm est). The game would be broadcasted on ESPN.