Celtics' Approach vs. 76ers Epitomizes How Far They've Come: 'It's about Us'

Rob Greene | Oct 13, 2024

Oct 12, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) drives to the basket against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images / Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

The Boston Celtics improved to 3-0 in the preseason after a 50-point blowout win over the Philadelphia 76ers, 139-89.

Boston went with the same starting five they have been running in exhibition play with Luke Kornet at the five, as Al Horford continues to rest and prepare for the regular season. The notion of Kornet remaining a starter during the regular season, helping the Celtics maintain their low-minutes plan for the 38-year-old, preserving him more ahead of the postseason, grew louder last night.

Kornet began the game with 11 of Boston’s 14 points in six minutes. The seven-footer had 15 in the first half, which was the most for Kornet in five years since he was a Knick in 2019. He has become a seamless, integral fit with Boston’s starters over the last year, creating a new dimension, as he is able to work a two-man game with any of the C’s initiators. Starting the former Vanderbilt Commodore keeps showing  the wonders it could work for the team.

The game was never close, as the Celtics went against Sixer prospects. Jaylen Brown voiced postgame how Boston wanted to continue performing at their standard, regardless of what Philadelphia was going to throw against them on the other side.

“It’s about us, so, every time we step out on the floor, it doesn’t really matter who the opponent is,” said Brown. “We just gotta play our standard of basketball. That’s the tone that we set throughout training camp, and that’s the mindset that we have.”

The Celtics will likely sit the starters and main core for the first time this preseason on Sunday night to finish the back-to-back at TD Garden vs. the Toronto Raptors. It is still unclear if Kornet will suit up again.