The Boston Celtics averted an inexcusable tumble to the shorthanded Philadelphia 76ers with a jaw-dropping comeback at Wells Fargo Area on Sunday night time.
Philadelphia, with out co-stars Joel Embiid and Paul George, demonstrated zero worry in Boston’s championship core. The Sixers took down the Celtics on Christmas Day throughout their final assembly and although Payton Pritchard was Boston’s solely notable absence, Philadelphia’s grit and toughness dominated the ground — till the fourth quarter.
Jayson Tatum and the Celtics wakened in desperation to erase a Sixers lead that reached 26 factors, flip the script on their 3-point taking pictures and display their most resilience this season. Boston improved to 35-15 with the victory as Philadelphia dropped to 19-29 amid its down-on-luck marketing campaign.
Listed below are 4 studs and two duds from Boston’s 118-110 win over Philadelphia:
STUDS
Jayson Tatum
Boston’s famous person answered the decision when the workforce was in dire want of a go-ahead bucket.
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Tatum shook off a modest and ineffective 3-for-6 taking pictures efficiency within the first half and erupted when it mattered probably the most. The six-time All-Star drained a heroic go-ahead 3-pointer within the fourth quarter to place the Celtics forward, 101-100, with 6:50 minutes remaining. Tatum additionally recorded well timed assists to Derrick White to amplify the strain. Boston acquired a game-high 35 factors with seven rebounds and 11 assists from Tatum — he notched his twenty second double-double of the season.
Tyrese Maxey
The Sixers didn’t have their No. 1 or No. 2, however Maxey wasn’t fazed within the slightest.
Maxey was a nightmare to defend because the 24-year-old scored a team-leading 33 factors, pulling down 5-of-8 threes and going an ideal 11-of-11 from the free-throw line. Maxey additionally tallied six assists nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient to safe Philadelphia’s victory, even when the Sixers entered the fourth quarter with a 14-point benefit.
Kristaps Porzingis
Whereas the Celtics struggled mightily to climate the storm of Maxey and the Sixers, Porzingis remained laser-focused.
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Boston’s 7-footer contributed 18 factors of offense together with a game-high 5 blocks, seven rebounds and three assists. Porzingis didn’t faucet out, even when the going received tough and continued to carry out just like the environment friendly two-way participant he’s been since getting back from offseason surgical procedure.
Guerschon Yabusele
Rumors counsel the Celtics are involved in a reunion with Yabusele, and for good motive.
Yabusele’s progress and confidence have been on full show because the 29-year-old adopted Maxey’s footsteps and delivered an elite 21-point displaying. Yabusele was concerned in all areas of the ground, grabbing six rebounds, pulling down a pair of threes and including just a few ferocious dunks within the course of.
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens was possible taking notes along with his binoculars pointed towards Yabusele all night time lengthy.
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DUDS
Boston’s first-half offense
The Sixers had no concern working circles across the Celtics till the halftime buzzer sounded to place a pause on the punishment.
Boston did itself zero favors, tripping over its personal ft but once more. The Celtics have been atrocious from past the arc, particularly on wide-open 3-point seems to be. Porzingis was the one participant on the ground from Boston to knock down multiple 3-pointer within the first half — Porzingis shot 3-for-6. Boston as a workforce, shot 26.9% (7-for-26) from 3-point vary, permitting the Sixers to capitalize.
Philadelphia’s 17-point halftime lead was the second-largest deficit the Celtics have confronted after the primary half of any recreation performed this season.
Jrue Vacation
It’s been 50 video games and we’re but to see Vacation’s long-awaited breakout.
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Vacation’s offensive struggles continued within the Metropolis of Brotherly Love. He pitched in with 9 factors, 5 rebounds and 5 assists, and whereas Vacation did make just a few well timed performs within the fourth quarter to maintain the Celtics on monitor, it wasn’t sufficient. to overwrite the night time.
Via 5 of his final six video games, Vacation has been held to underneath 10 factors on lower than 40% taking pictures from the ground.
