Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics dunks the ball over Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers through the second half of sport two of the NBA Japanese Convention Second Spherical Playoffs at TD Backyard on Might 03, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics defeat the 76ers 121-87. Maddie Meyer/Getty Pictures/AFP
The Boston Celtics produced an exhibition of three-point taking pictures to blow away the Philadelphia 76ers 121-87 and sq. their NBA Japanese Convention playoff sequence on Wednesday.
Jaylen Brown led a medical offensive show for the second-seeded Celtics to swat apart a Sixers line-up who welcomed again newly topped NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid after an harm absence of practically two weeks.
Brown completed with 25 factors whereas Malcolm Brogdon poured in 23 from the bench, together with six three-pointers, because the Celtics bounced again from Monday’s game-one loss on the TD Backyard.
The most effective-of-seven sequence is now degree at 1-1 because the groups head to Philadelphia for sport three on Friday.
Jaylen Brown (25 PTS, 4 AST, 2 STL) with a robust efficiency because the @celtics take Sport 2!
The sequence shifts to Philadelphia tied at 1-1 🍿
BOS/PHI Sport 3: Friday, 7:30pm/et on ESPN pic.twitter.com/gswttKOMhy
— NBA (@NBA) May 4, 2023
After Wednesday’s rout, Sixers coach Doc Rivers could have loads of meals for thought regardless of the principally profitable return of Embiid, who had not performed since injuring his proper knee in sport three of the first-round sweep of Brooklyn.
Embiid made his presence felt with 15 factors and 5 blocks however was clearly not at full health, earlier than being faraway from the fray within the third quarter as Boston surged right into a commanding lead.
Boston in the meantime will likely be buoyed by a show that blended defensive ruggedness with free-scoring offense.
“We simply set the tone on protection, making an attempt to be aggressive on each side of the ball, getting our team-mates going. However actually simply setting the tone on protection and having enjoyable,” Celtics ahead Brown mentioned afterwards.
No fewer than eight Celtics gamers contributed to Boston’s tally of 20 three-pointers from 51 makes an attempt.
Philadelphia in contrast made solely six of 30 from past the arc with their off-night underscored by James Harden’s futile taking pictures from three-point vary.
Marcus Good #36 of the Boston Celtics takes a shot in opposition to James Harden #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers through the second half of sport two of the NBA Japanese Convention Second Spherical Playoffs at TD Backyard on Might 03, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. Maddie Meyer/Getty Pictures/AFP
Harden, the 45-point hero of Monday’s game one, made zero of six tried three-pointers, ending with simply 12 factors from 2-of-14 taking pictures.
Philadelphia led by two factors briefly early within the first quarter, however the Celtics scored steadily thereafter to edge clear.
“Offensively we had been fairly unhealthy, however give them credit score — their ball strain ate us up all night time,” Rivers mentioned.
“I assumed they pressured us, they denied us, they performed in our airspace all sport. We talked about it earlier than the sport.
“However you may discuss depth and power all you need. If you get out on the courtroom and it’s truly being utilized to you, you have got to have the ability to deal with it. And we didn’t deal with it very effectively tonight.”
After taking a 57-49 lead at half-time, the Celtics dropped the hammer within the third quarter, blitzing the Sixers 35-16 — 21 factors coming from three-point distance — to successfully seal victory.
That left Boston up by 27 factors heading into the ultimate quarter and there was no method again for a shellshocked Sixers crew.
The Celtics continued to attain freely within the fourth quarter, stretching their result in 34 factors because the Sixers threw within the towel.
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