Inside The Celtics

Here's What Stood Out as Celtics Beat 76ers in Their Best Win of Young Season

The shorthanded Celtics outscored the Sixers 60-49 in the second half and are at their best defensively in the final five minutes to reclaim the top seed in the East.

Bobby Krivitsky

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
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For the Boston Celtics, avenging last week's loss in the City of Brotherly Love required overcoming the absences of Jaylen Brown (non-Covid illness) and Kristaps Porzingis (right knee contusion).

It also meant overcoming another dismal second quarter at Wells Fargo Center, as the Philadelphia 76ers outscored their visitors 36-20 in a period where Boston saw six turnovers get converted into nine of those points for the hosts.

But in the second half, the shorthanded Celtics raised their defensive intensity and activity, limiting Joel Embiid to 12 points on eight shots and holding the 76ers to 4/13 (30.8 percent) from beyond the arc.

Generating stops at that end allowed the C's to play with pace, maintaining a tempo that spurred improved ball movement, assisting on 12/20 field goals, and more success from three-point range, drilling 11/27 (40.7 percent) of their attempts from behind the arc in the second half.

The Celtics also got a spectacular performance from Al Horford, who slid into the starting lineup and delivered 14 points, made 4/8 threes, grabbed eight rebounds, and helped keep Embiid in check, limiting the reigning MVP to 20 points on a night he had a minus-25 plus-minus rating.

Jayson Tatum registered a game-high 29 points, pairing it with eight boards and a team-best six assists. And Derrick White produced 27 and five dimes to go with stellar defense.

Speaking of Boston's defense, as examined below, that was at the heart of why the visitors pulled away in the final five minutes to earn a 117-107 win, improving to 9-2 and reclaiming the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

1. Al Horford and Sam Hauser got the start for the Celtics with Jaylen Brown (non-Covid illness) and Kristaps Porzingis (right knee contusion) out for Wednesday's matchup.

Hauser's been at the root of Boston's second unit's recently delivering the two-way impact needed to help raise Banner 18 to the TD Garden rafters.

2. Jrue Holiday led all scorers in the first frame, finishing the opening period with 10 points. That included the former UCLA Bruin producing eight of their first 12 in the paint.

The two-time All-Star was aggressive offensively from the start, attacking downhill and consistently utilizing his size and strength to create high-percentage shots at the basket. That approach is welcome no matter who's available, but the Celtics needed it even more with Brown out.

3. While the C's gave up four quick second-chance points, an area that hurt them in last week's rivalry clash between these two when the first quarter ended, they'd only allowed six and three offensive rebounds.

Cutting off that source of scoring for the Sixers helped Boston stage a 20-4 run and take a 37-22 advantage into the second frame.

4. Playing shorthanded, the visitors tapped into their depth in the initial 12 minutes, a decision they rewarded Joe Mazzulla for.

Dalano Banton led all participants with five rebounds in the first quarter. Luke Kornet fared well vs. Joel Embiid. Svi Mykhailiuk went 2/2, including drilling a shot from beyond the arc. And a Payton Pritchard three, after Hauser came swooping in from the left wing to extend a possession, helped Boston's bench, which provided an infusion of energy, outpace the 76ers second unit 10-0.

5. Jaden Springer came off the Philadelphia bench to help turn the game in the second quarter. He brought a needed infusion of energy and athleticism, and he registered seven points in the period, helping the hosts get back into the contest and awaken a quiet crowd at Wells Fargo Center.

6. Committing six turnovers also didn't benefit the visitors' cause, as the hosts parlayed those giveaways into nine points, helping them outscore the Celtics 36-20 in a dominant second quarter that had shades of when the Sixers thoroughly outplayed Boston in the second frame of last week's matchup between the two in this same building.

Their play in the second period allowed the 76ers to take a 58-57 edge into halftime.

7. Al Horford pumped life into the C's offense to start the second half, registering nine of their first 13 points, helping them quickly regain the lead.

8. Boston's ball movement and security were considerably better in the third quarter. The visitors assisted on six of nine field goals, repeatedly swinging the rock around the perimeter to create open, in-rhythm attempts. That translated to shooting 7/18 (38.9 percent) from beyond the arc.

The Celtics also did an excellent job of staying in front on drives and contesting shots, resulting in the hosts 6/19 (31.6 percent) from the field, including 1/6 (16.7 percent) from three-point range.

Their two-play allowed them to outscore Philadelphia 26-17 in a low-scoring frame, taking an 83-75 lead into the final 12 minutes.

9. Boston's defense sparked a fourth-quarter surge, starting with a sequence where Tyrese Maxey finally got the switch he wanted, targeting Sam Hauser. But with Jrue Holiday staying close, Tobias Harris cut to the rim. Horford rotated to pick him up, and Derrick White sank to the corner to get Joel Embiid.

As the latter drove, the former Colorado Buffalo stripped the ball free, leading to a strong finish through contact by Jayson Tatum at the other end. He then tacked on the free throw to complete the old-school three-point play.

The Sixers' next time down the court, Horford swatted a Maxey attempt, resulting in White elevating and knocking down a three that gave the visitors a 105-98 advantage with 4:37 left.

10. A great play design that led to two defenders going with a cutting Hauser, leaving Horford open for a corner three he buried, and Tatum drilling one from the right slot helped the Celtics put the game away, earning a 117-107 victory and their fourth-straight win.

11. Up next, the Celtics travel north of the border to face the Raptors on Friday night; tip-off is at 7:30 EST.

Further Reading

Joe Mazzulla Believes Celtics' Second Unit is 'Starting to Develop an Identity'

From Jrue Holiday's Milestone to Jayson Tatum's Post-Ups, Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Knicks

Celtics' Jrue Holiday Discusses Reaching Career Milestone: 'I Didn't Know it Was Coming'

Jaylen Brown Says the Celtics’ Rebounding Helped in Win vs. Knicks

Kristaps Porzingis Discusses Chemistry with Jaylen Brown: 'I Love Playing with Him'

Joe Mazzulla Shares What's 'Far Exceeded My Expectations' of Kristaps Porzingis

From Porzingis Pick-and-Rolls to Jaylen Brown Posters, Here's What Stood Out as Celtics Steamrolled Raptors

Jaylen Brown on Celtics Learning from Losses and Building Chemistry: 'It's a Learning Curve'

From Self Doubt to Celtics History, Jayson Tatum Discusses Journey to 10,000 Points: 'I Didn't Think I Was Good Enough'

Kristaps Porzingis Gives Glimpse of How He'll Boost Celtics Late-Game Offense

Under Joe Mazzulla, Celtics Rebuilding Brotherhood Between Past and Present

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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