For as long as this assortment lasts, it’s going to seemingly be a simple verify in the direction of the Sixers.
The Celtics can survive volcanic James Harden eruptions, like his 45-point outburst Monday evening time.
They will navigate a no-show from Derrick White, who scored 4 elements and sat down the stretch.
They could even endure the return of anticipated MVP Joel Embiid, who misplaced three of 4 regular-season matchups and has however to beat Boston when it points most.
However what the Celtics can’t, shouldn’t be going to and didn’t survive Monday is shedding the ball.
Boston misplaced Monday’s 119-115 thriller when Malcolm Brogdon gifted a go-ahead, fast-break layup to Tyrese Maxey at 28.9.seconds to play, and Marcus Sensible’s go for Jayson Tatum in its place found Paul Reed with decrease than 10 seconds left. The Celtics accomplished with 16 turnovers. Philly had six.
That was it. That was the game.
Sure, between Sensible’s dump of a dump-off and Brogdon’s thoughts fart, Tatum hit two foul footage to push the C’s ahead 115-114. Tatum had curled correct after receiving an inbounds go, chased contact close to the basket and drew a whistle. It was one in every of many solely cases the Celtics carried out with any sense of aim and group inside the final 2:30, an aimless stretch outlined by two turnovers and a panicky 1-for-6 capturing effectivity.
In the meantime, Harden calmly orchestrated the Celtics’ collapse with grasp stroke after grasp stroke. After Tatum’s free throws at 26 seconds left, he dragged Al Horford proper right into a pick-and-roll Boston switched atop the necessary factor. He drew Horford tight with a couple of low dribbles, and triggered a game-winning 3-pointer prior to the massive man could shut.
“He in all probability shocked me with how shortly he shot the ball,” Horford admitted later.
Harden’s pick-and-roll mastery was nothing new to the Celtics, who two possessions earlier had effectively danced spherical plenty of screens he had beckoned for. However the ultimate one, as a result of the clock ticked under a minute to go, sprung Reed free for a rim assault, and Sensible fouled him inside the act. Reed hit every foul footage.
Main 113-112, the Celtics pinged the ball spherical on their penultimate half-court possession. 5 seconds left.
Tick. Sensible up-faked on a 3, dribbled to the left elbow and flipped a go once more to Tatum.
Tock. Tatum pump-faked a 3 and refused to shoot.
Tick. Now, it was Brogdon’s flip to panic, and he vomited a go to Maxey who coasted three-quarters of the court docket docket in disbelief until his layup fell by way of, and the gang fell silent.
A second epic collapse had been thrust upon TD Backyard in a matter of 24 hours. How could this happen?
The very fact is these weren’t cruel, lingering ghosts from the Bruins’ Sport 7 loss. Not even unhealthy luck. The Sixers, Daryl Morey’s Sixers, acquired with math. The possession sport.
They took 14 further footage than Boston and fired a dozen further 3-pointers.
“We solely shot 26 threes,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla lamented. “I don’t know if that’s one of the simplest ways to go about it.”
76ers coach Doc Rivers pays tribute to late Celtics govt Heather Walker
Philly claimed 32.4% of its obtainable offensive rebounds — a so much better proportion than the Celtics’ — and generated the rest of their extra footage off turnovers. That effort, even with out Embiid, was ample to beat a Boston crew favored by 10 elements that shot 58.7% from the bottom. Fifty-eight %!
However whether or not or not they shoot 58% or 48% or 38% in Sport 2, the Celtics have their decision in the direction of Philly. Except for defending the ball — Sensible was the worst offender with six turnovers — Boston ought to hit the gas and pound the paint.
The Sixers with out Embiid have little rim security. With or with out Embiid, they’re sluggish. Their transition safety is atrocious, allowing opponents to achieve 1.18 elements per possession, fifth-worst inside the league. Proof of how tempo and a give consideration to the paint could injury Philly was ample early in Sport 1.
The Celtics’ first six elements had been two dunks and a layup. Halfway by way of the first quarter, Tatum cooked Tobias Harris, one in every of many Sixers’ increased defenders in the direction of him, off the bounce for a layup. A minute later, Jaylen Brown back-cut James Harden and cocked a two-handed slam behind his head for an thunderous dunk.
The Celtics led by seven after the first quarter, when 26 of their 38 elements acquired right here contained within the paint. They scored 30 of their 66 first-half elements on possessions that lasted fewer than 10 seconds. Good footage found the Celtics as soon as they did the arduous work early, in its place of trying to work Philly inside the half-court.
Mazzulla moreover has to wash out wrinkles in his rotation. Grant Williams entered with 5:10 left inside the first quarter and was promptly hunted off the bottom. Harden beat him for two baskets spherical a Harris blow-by. With 1:30 left inside the quarter, the Celtics despatched a double crew to help Williams in the direction of Harden, and all that did was generate a wide-open Georges Niang 3.
Splash. Williams accomplished with 4 minutes carried out.
Gallery: Celtics lose Sport 1 to 76ers, 119-117
Mazzulla later threw Sam Hauser into the hearth. He observed 33 further seconds of sport movement than Williams and accomplished with an similar zero elements.
In fact, White ought to play increased. Rob Williams might even see an prolonged leash considering his rim security, which might allow the Celtics’ perimeter defender to play better out on Harden. Time will inform, as a result of it typically does.
The tenets of a Sport 1 are infrequently the truths of a protracted assortment — apart from probably this one. The Celtics misplaced the ball Monday evening time. They misplaced the game and their home-court profit. Shield your possessions, or the gathering will observe.
On to Sport 2.
