What To Watch For In 76ers-Celtics 2022-23 NBA Opening Night Matchup

The defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics are set to host the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, October 18 as the 2022-23 NBA season begins.

Back on June 16, the final buzzer sounded in TD Garden and the Boston Celtics were left heartbroken, as the Golden State Warriors celebrated winning the 2022 NBA Finals on the Celtics home floor.

Fast-forward four months and here we are, on the brink of the 2022-23 NBA season beginning and the Celtics are set to begin things in the first game of the year.

Basketball in Boston will open up the new NBA season, as Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the Celtics will host the team just about 300 miles south of them on I-95, the Philadelphia 76ers.

A matchup between two heavyweights in the Eastern Conference, both the Celtics and 76ers have high title aspirations heading into the new year. However, quite a bit has changed for these two teams in the last few months, especially on the sideline for Boston.

Former assistant coach Joe Mazzulla is now the acting and interim head coach of the Celtics after Ime Udoka was suspended indefinitely following a major violation of team rules, leading to a ton of questions about the mentality of Boston right now. Malcolm Brogdon should prove to be a major addition for this team in the backcourt all year long, but mentally, do the Celtics have what it takes to get back to the NBA Finals?

Looking at the 76ers, not only are Joel Embiid and James Harden healthy entering the year, but the Sixers added the depth that they were lacking a season ago this offseason. P.J. Tucker is an experienced, defensive-minded veteran for this team and De’Anthony Melton proved to be a difference-maker off-the-bench for the Memphis Grizzlies a season ago.

Tyrese Maxey has continued to work on his craft in the offseason, Tobias Harris is back for Philadelphia and they also brought in former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell to play behind Embiid in the team’s rotations.

This should be a fantastic matchup to begin the 2022-23 NBA season and here are some key headlines and storylines to watch for in this game.

Robert Williams III’s Absence Spells Trouble for Boston:

Following a stellar 2021-22 campaign that resulted in him turning into one of the better defensive centers and shot-blockers in the entire league, Robert Williams III will begin the 2022-23 season on the sideline as he continues to recover from left knee surgery.

Williams suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee at the end of last season and while he did return in the postseason, it was clear to see that he was not 100 percent healthy. He underwent surgery on September 23 and was said to resume basketball activities in 8 to 10 weeks.

With Williams sidelined to begin the season, it is going to be very interesting to see how the Celtics look to replace him for the time being, especially since they do not have another strong rebounder and shot-blocker on their roster.

Al Horford and Luke Kornet will likely fill minutes at the center position for the time being, as Blake Griffin and Grant Williams will fill some needs at the power forward position. However, looking at this matchup, it is really hard to see how the Celtics will be able to stop Joel Embiid in the paint.

Embiid led the league in scoring a season ago and in four games against Boston a season ago, the MVP candidate averaged 24.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game. It is not hard to envision Joel Embiid having 30 points and close to 15 rebounds on opening night, especially since the Celtics really cannot stack up with him given that Robert Williams III is on the sideline.

Will The Real James Harden Please Stand Up:

In 21 games with the 76ers last season, James Harden averaged 21.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 10.5 assists per game.

For most players, these are fantastic numbers. For James Harden though, this is nothing compared to what we are used to seeing from him. One of the most dynamic scorers and facilitators of his generation, Harden is looking more in-shape entering this season and seems to have found some new motivation for himself in the offseason.

In order for the Sixers to be a real title contender, Harden must revert back to his old ways of being an MVP-caliber player, even if he is to take a somewhat lesser role alongside Joel Embiid.

Now, Harden does not have to lead the league in scoring or take 25-plus shots a night for his team to be effective, but he must show a willingness to take control of things on the floor, something we did not necessarily see from him at the end of the 2021-22 season.

Obviously health and his conditioning played a part in this, but now looking like he is in the best shape of his life, James Harden must be the All-Star talent the 76ers traded for.

The Beginnings of an All-Star-like Season for Tyrese Maxey:

One of the breakout stars of the 2021-22 NBA season was Tyrese Maxey, who quickly became a household name in this league.

In his second season with the 76ers, Maxey averaged 17.5 points, 4.3 assists and shot 48.5 percent from the floor, 42.7 percent from three-point range, in about 35.3 minutes per game. All of these numbers ended up being career-highs for the young combo guard.

Now, entering his third season in the league, Maxey has continued to work on his craft in the offseason and is ready to take on an even bigger role for his team. Joel Embiid and James Harden are the stars for the 76ers, but it is not hard to imagine that Tyrese Maxey could wind up leading the team in scoring on some nights and he will need to stay aggressive for them to possibly break through and make the NBA Finals.

Going against the Boston Celtics on opening night, Maxey has a golden chance to steal the headlines with his performance in the first game of the year, a performance that could come against the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Marcus Smart.

Tyrese Maxey is the definition of a “scoring guard” in this league and it seems like every time he puts the ball on the floor, he is going to make a play either for himself at the rim or one of his teammates. Every team in the NBA has an “X-factor” heading into the new year and Maxey is this player for the Philadelphia 76ers.

This could absolutely be the start of something special for the 21-year-old and the expectation he has placed on himself is to be an All-Star for the first time this season. Beating the Celtics in the first game of the year and being a main reason why his team possibly wins would immediately put Maxey on the path to success.