Inside The Celtics

What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Sixers: Boston Steamrolls Philadelphia for Ninth-Straight Victory

The Celtics earned a season split with the Sixers in dominating fashion, beating Philadelphia by 48 points and leading by as much as 51.

Bobby Krivitsky

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The Celtics earned a season split with the Sixers in dominating fashion, beating Philadelphia by 48 points and leading by as much as 51.

The win is Boston's eighth-straight and 11 in the last 12 games. The Celtics now trail the fifth-seeded Sixers by only a game in the conference standings, and they're only two behind the third-place Bucks.

Here's what stood out from Boston's 135-87 victory, a game in which Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown nearly outscored the Sixers through three quarters before getting the fourth frame off.

Celtics Hold the Sixers to 22 Points in the First Quarter

The Celtics' defense clamped down the Sixers' offense from the opening tip. Boston's length, versatility, communication, effort, and collective IQ allowed it to perform at an elite level even without Robert Williams for the game's entirety and losing Marcus Smart in the second quarter.

Philadelphia's 22 points in the first frame came on just 6/19 (31.6 percent) shooting from the field. Joel Embiid did his best to change the game flow by successfully foul-hunting, taking all eight of the Sixers' first-quarter free throws, but Boston remained locked in. There were times earlier this season when that wouldn't happen, which is another sign of how this team is maturing and its confidence is growing.

As is consistently the case, the stops the Celtics were getting made it easier for them to get in a rhythm offensively. On Tuesday, that translated to 32 points on ten of 18 (55.6 percent) shooting, including 6/9 (66.7 percent) from three. Their aggressive play also led to seven free throws, of which Boston converted on six of them.

Marcus Smart Leaves the Game Due to a Sprained Right Ankle

Marcus Smart, attacking in transition after Danny Green missed a three, stepped on Embiid's foot and rolled his right ankle. Smart needed help getting off the court, and while he stayed in to take the free throws after a break in the action, he subbed out afterward. It didn't take long for Smart to get ruled out for the rest of the game.

Boston hosts the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. Smart probably won't play. After that comes the All-Star break, so Smart and the Celtics catch a break scheduling-wise.

Celtics Quickly Regain Their Composure

After Smart went out, the Sixers went on a 10-3 run. Understandably, the Celtics were a bit out of sorts in the immediate aftermath of his exit, and they reverted to jacking up threes.

However, once they settled down, they ripped off a 9-0 run, capped by Jaylen Brown burying a three shortly before the halftime buzzer that gave Boston a 27-point lead entering the break.

For the quarter, the Celtics outscored the Sixers 37-20, holding Philadelphia to even fewer points than in the first frame.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown Nearly Outscore the Sixers Through Three Quarters

Offensively, Jaylen Brown led the way for Boston, generating a game-high 29 points, doing so while lighting up the Sixers from beyond the arc, knocking down five of his seven long-range attempts (71.4 percent).

Brown was also effectively creating mid-range opportunities off the dribble that he often capitalized on. That led to him shooting 10/17 (58.8 percent) from the field. He also grabbed eight rebounds, dished out three assists, and was an essential part of excellent team defense at the root of Boston's win, earning a plus-minus rating of plus-32.

As for Jayson Tatum, he finished with 28 points. Twelve came during his third-quarter takeover, where he went 5/8 (62.5 percent) from the field, including 2/4 from three. Despite the Celtics building a massive lead, he never took his foot off the gas, playing with force and attacking the basket, even when Joel Embiid was patrolling the rim.

The three-time All-Star also worked efficiently, shooting 9/17 (52.9 percent) from the floor, including 4/8 from three. He also went 6/6 at the free-throw line. Additionally, Tatum contributed 12 rebounds, six assists, and two blocks. Like Brown, he was playing at a high level defensively, and while plus-minus is as much a team stat as it is an individual one, Tatum's game-high plus-34 is reflective of his stellar two-way play.

As a result of Boston being up by 43 at the end of the third quarter, the Celtics' primary rotation players got the fourth frame off but entering the final period, Tatum and Brown had nearly outscored the Sixers, whom as a team had 58 points while Boston's wing tandem combined for 57.

Celtics Set a Franchise Record in Victory

Boston shot a blistering 25/45 (55.6 percent) from beyond the arc, and nearly everyone on the Celtics knocked down at least one three en route to producing a new team record.

One of the players who contributed to that, Aaron Nesmith, scored a career-high 18 points, making six of his nine shots from the field, including 3/5 from beyond the arc.

Up Next

The Celtics host the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night. The game tips off at 7:30 EST. Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game coming out before, during, and after. And follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post.

Further Reading

Coach Krzyzewski's Message to Danny Ainge, Brad Stevens When Celtics Were Deciding Whether to Draft Jayson Tatum

What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Hawks: Boston's Defense, Jayson Tatum's 38 Points Lead to Eighth-Straight Victory

Celtics Sign Sam Hauser, Luke Kornet to Standard Contracts, Can Now Add Players Via 10-Day Deals

Brad Stevens Addresses Celtics' Motivations at the Deadline: 'We want to maintain the stretch we're on, but this is about the long-term'

10 Tidbits About Jayson Tatum's All-Star Game Appearance: Historic Achievements, Past Performances, Adding to Celtic Lore

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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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