Inside The Celtics

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Loss vs. Sixers: Joe Embiid's Dominance Helps Philadelphia Avoid Season-Sweep

Joel Embiid's 52-point performance Leads Sixers past Celtics for the first time this season.

Bobby Krivitsky

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
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The Celtics are happy with how they're playing and entered Tuesday night's tilt against the Sixers all but locked into the two seed in the Eastern Conference.

That had a lot to do with why Boston was without Jaylen Brown (lower back pain), Robert Williams (left knee injury management), and Payton Pritchard (left heel pain) for its matchup in the City of Brotherly Love.

Another loss and a season-sweep would've been a demoralizing blow to Philadelphia as the playoffs approach. Joel Embiid refused to let that happen.

The Sixers' star center dominated Tuesday's tilt, knocking down one mid-range jumper after another. He finished with a game-high 52 points. His 13 rebounds also led all participants. And he dished out six assists and swatted two shots.

Jayson Tatum finished with 19 points, six assists, six rebounds, and three steals. The Celtics also got an outstanding performance from Derrick White, who registered a team-high 26 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two blocks. 

He played stellar defense, consistently attacked the basket, maintaining control as he did so, and White was one of the only players on the visitors who shot well from beyond the arc (4/10) on a night Boston went 15/45 (33.3 percent) from three-point range.

Now, a deep dive into what stood out in each quarter of a game that came down to the final play.

The First Quarter Belongs to Joel Embiid

The Sixers jumped out to a 9-2 lead, largely thanks to Joel Embiid quickly asserting himself. Philadelphia's star center registered six of those points, including knocking down a pair of mid-range jumpers.

That's a shot Boston will live with, though, as long as he's not also getting to the free-throw line on those attempts.

And shortly after the hosts' hot start, the Celtics countered with an 11-4 run, tying the game at 16.

The low-scoring frame ended with the Sixers ahead 28-22. Embiid played the entire period and led all scorers with 18 points on 6/7 shooting.

Jayson Tatum also logged all 12 minutes, leading Boston with eight points. Malcolm Brogdon chipped in seven off the bench, a big boost to a Celtics' team that shot 37.5 percent from the field, including 3/12 (25 percent) from behind the arc.

How the Sixers Fared in the Second Quarter Depended on if Embiid Was on the Floor

With Embiid on the bench, Boston started the second frame on a 7-0 run. By the time he returned, the Celtics had trimmed a seven-point deficit to one, going from down 28-22 to trailing 35-34.

While Embiid was on the pine, Derrick White earned a Tommy Point, sprinting back to contest Paul Reed's fast-break layup and avoided fouling, resulting in a miss, a transition opportunity for the visitors, and White dishing to Malcolm Brogdon for two points.

But after the Sixers' star center checked back in, Philadelphia outscored Boston 18-12, taking a 53-46 lead into halftime. The hosts helped their cause by converting four offensive rebounds into a 5-0 advantage in second-chance points in the second quarter.

The Celtics generated an 8-0 edge in fast-break points in the period, and Marcus Smart manufactured a layup by pushing off a make on a play that nearly earned him a trip to the foul line, but the pace slowed after Embiid returned.

Brogdon led Boston with 13 points off the bench at the break. Tatum had 12. The visitors also produced 24 points in the paint, but shooting 5/19 (26.3 percent) from behind the arc had a lot to do with why the Celtics trailed after 24 minutes; that and being shorthanded.

Embiid registered 24 points and ten rebounds at halftime, leading all participants in both categories. The Sixers' other All-Star, James Harden, also made his mark, providing the hosts with 15 points and four assists.

Boston only shot 40.9 percent from the field, including 5/19 (26.3 percent) on threes. But its defensive execution, limiting Philadelphia to 5/15 from three-point range and nine free-throw attempts, was essential to staying within seven at the break.

Defense and Second-Chance Points Keep the Celtics Close in the Third Frame

Boston's effective ball movement in the first half of the third quarter helped the visitors narrow the gap from seven at halftime to 60-57 after a transition layup by Smart with 6:33 left in the period.

The Celtics consistently creating quality shots, working the ball side-to-side, helped overcome their cold shooting continuing as they started the frame 2/7 (28.6 percent) from beyond the arc.

Their defense, limiting the Sixers to 3/9 (33.3 percent), including 1/4 on threes, also had a lot to do with them pulling within three.

They entered the fourth quarter trailing 72-67. While they shot an abysmal 32 percent from the floor, including 4/14 (28.6 percent) from beyond the arc, parlaying four offensive rebounds into a 9-0 advantage in second-chance points, provided a needed boost in a period Boston outscored Philadelphia 21-19.

The Celtics held the hosts to 44.4 percent shooting from the floor in the third frame, including 1/8 (12.5 percent) from three-point range. Boston also prevented the Sixers from grabbing a single offensive board.

Between that, only committing two turnovers, neither of which Philadelphia scored off of, and the hosts only making one trip to the free-throw line, as dominant as Embiid was, generating 14 points and swatting two shots in a period he played the entirety of, the Celtics stayed within five with 12 minutes to go.

Sixers Survive in the Final Frame

Celtics' head coach Joe Mazzulla brought Blake Griffin in to start the fourth quarter, Griffin's first minutes of the night.

Griffin diving to the floor to retrieve an offensive rebound created a second chance that turned into a White three that tied the game at 74 with 10:09 remaining.

Boston getting stops and playing with pace created points at the rim and in-rhythm attempts from beyond the arc, helping the visitors produce 17 points by the 6:51 mark, taking an 84-81 lead after a three by White.

The Celtics' 24 points in the second frame were the most they generated in any of the first three periods. Registering 17 in just over five minutes is quite the turnaround.

As the pace slowed and the physicality increased, the game remained tied (89-89) with three minutes left.

But that's when P.J. Tucker heated up, burying back-to-back threes from the left corner, producing half of the points of a 12-1 run. That put Philadelphia ahead 96-89 with 1:58 left. And with 53 seconds to play, Tucker drilled another three, this time from the right corner, giving the Sixers a 101-95 advantage.

Leading 103-96 with less than nine seconds to play, it seemed like Philadelphia would have no trouble putting the finishing touches on its first victory this season against the Celtics.

That's when Marcus Smart-induced chaos ensued, as he manufactured a layup while getting fouled. Then perfectly executed the intentionally missed free throw, ricocheting the ball off the rim back to himself. That led to a White three, bringing Boston within two with two seconds remaining. 

The officials also called a foul on Tucker, but the Sixers successfully challenged the call, preserving their two-point lead and getting the ball back.

The hosts still couldn't comfortably put the game away. Embiid got whistled for an offensive foul for elbowing Grant Williams on the inbound, giving the visitors life. 

But a baseline jumper by Tatum over a double team from Embiid and Tobias Harris was off the mark, and Philadelphia held on for a 103-101 win, avoiding a series sweep, largely thanks to Embiid's 52-point performance.

Up Next

The Celtics host the Raptors Wednesday night; tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. EST. Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game before, during, and afterward. And follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post.

Further Reading

Celtics Star Jaylen Brown Opens Up About Dealing with Trade Rumors

Jaylen Brown on His Relationship with Jayson Tatum: 'We’re a Part of Each Other’s Destiny'

Will the Celtics Prioritize Push for the 1 Seed or Rest? Joe Mazzulla Sheds Light on Boston's Approach

[Film Room] What the Celtics Did to Slow Down Giannis Antetokounmpo in Blowout vs. Bucks

Jayson Tatum Wasn't Supposed to Play vs. the Jazz, But Celtics' Travel Delay Added to His Motivation to 'Go Through it with the Guys'

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Jazz: On a Chippy Night in Boston, Counterpunches Propel the Hosts to Victory

The Celtics are Proud of Their Growth, Including Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown's Maturation: 'I think We're a Better Team'

Former Warriors' Director of Performance Keke Lyles Shares His Perspective on Load Management, Changing Stephen Curry's Movement Patterns, And What's Helped Jayson Tatum's Durability

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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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