Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics dunks the ball over Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers in the course of the second half of sport two of the NBA Jap Convention Second Spherical Playoffs at TD Backyard on Could 03, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics defeat the 76ers 121-87. Maddie Meyer/Getty Photographs/AFP
The Boston Celtics produced an exhibition of three-point capturing to blow away the Philadelphia 76ers 121-87 and sq. their NBA Jap Convention playoff collection on Wednesday.
Jaylen Brown led a scientific offensive show for the second-seeded Celtics to swat apart a Sixers line-up who welcomed again newly topped NBA Most Beneficial Participant Joel Embiid after an damage 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.
One of the best-of-seven collection 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 Recreation 2!
The collection shifts to Philadelphia tied at 1-1 🍿
BOS/PHI Recreation 3: Friday, 7:30pm/et on ESPN pic.twitter.com/gswttKOMhy
— NBA (@NBA) Could 4, 2023
After Wednesday’s rout, Sixers coach Doc Rivers can 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 probably 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 either 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 against this made solely six of 30 from past the arc with their off-night underscored by James Harden’s futile capturing from three-point vary.
Marcus Sensible #36 of the Boston Celtics takes a shot in opposition to James Harden #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers in the course of the second half of sport two of the NBA Jap Convention Second Spherical Playoffs at TD Backyard on Could 03, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. Maddie Meyer/Getty Photographs/AFP
Harden, the 45-point hero of Monday’s sport one, made zero of six tried three-pointers, ending with simply 12 factors from 2-of-14 capturing.
Philadelphia led by two factors briefly early within the first quarter, however the Celtics scored steadily thereafter to edge clear.
“Offensively we have been fairly unhealthy, however give them credit score — their ball stress 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’ll be able to speak about depth and drive all you need. Once you get out on the courtroom and it’s really being utilized to you, you could have to have the ability to deal with it. And we didn’t deal with it very nicely 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 means again for a shellshocked Sixers group.
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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