The Sixers get dismantled, Boston wins at effort ball and more of what we learned in a Game 1 rout
The Sixers will need to go back to the drawing board after a complete domination in Boston that saw the stars and defense struggle.
After the 76ers’ Play-In Tournament win over the Orlando Magic, overzealous fans took to the streets and yelled, “We want Boston” in anticipation of their first-round series against the Celtics.
You sure about that?
The Sixers sure got a heavy dose of Boston on Sunday in a 123-91 loss in Game 1. In fact, the Celtics made history against the Sixers as their 32-point win was the largest margin of victory in a playoff opener ever for Boston.
» READ MORE: Sixers turn Boston into Brick City, get blown out of Game 1 and toward an early offseason
The Sixers were forced to work for every single inch. Meanwhile, the Celtics got out early and never let the Sixers back within striking distance.
Boston took a 33-18 lead in the first quarter and methodically broke the Sixers’ will from there. Tyrese Maxey scored 21 points but took 20 shots to get it done. Paul George produced 17 points but struggled on defense against the younger Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Maxey and George both took an early seat in the fourth quarter to conserve them for the rest of the series. VJ Edgecombe added 13 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 10.
Boston simply dominated the Sixers, with Tatum taking the mantle early and finishing with 25 points, including 21 in the first half. Brown (26 points) picked up where he left off, scoring 16 in the third and closing the door on any hope the Sixers had of mounting a comeback.
The Sixers will have to go back to the drawing board after this one, with Boston proving it has what it takes to make life tough for the Sixers’ stars on offense and completely overwhelm them with ease on defense. We’ll see how the Sixers regroup in Tuesday’s Game 2 matchup (7 p.m., Peacock, NBCSN) at TD Garden.
Celtics lead 1-0
Game 1: Celtics 123, Sixers 91 | Murphy: Early offseason?
Game 2: Sixers at Celtics, 7 p.m. Tuesday, NBCSN/Peacock
Game 3: Celtics at Sixers, 7 p.m. April 24, Prime Video
Game 4: Celtics at Sixers, 7 p.m. April 26, NBC/Peacock
*Game 5: Sixers at Celtics, TBD April 28
*Game 6: Celtics at Sixers, TBD April 30
*Game 7: Sixers at Celtics, TBD May 2
* If necessary
Boston wins the effort battle
Without Embiid, the Sixers are clearly outclassed against the Celtics. They don’t have the star power or depth of Boston. That said, you would think the team that didn’t have Tatum or Brown would win the effort battle, and that wasn’t the case in Game 1 for the Sixers.
From the onset, Boston feasted on open layups as the Sixers struggled to keep a man in front of them and didn’t rotate with urgency. After trading baskets for the first couple of minutes, Boston tightened its defense and the Sixers wilted. The Sixers trailed by 8-7 with 8 minutes, 39 seconds left in the first, then the Celtics went on a 25-10 run to finish the quarter and essentially put the game out of reach before it really started.
During that run, lapses on defense allowed walk-in layups, wide-open threes and countless trips to the line. And that continued through regulation. Boston was more disciplined and dedicated to running its sets. While the Sixers typically set one screen into an isolation for Maxey or George, Boston made multiple passes and efforts to get the best shot possible. It showed on the scoreboard and set the tone for an end-to-end victory.
» READ MORE: The Sixers haven’t beaten the Celtics in the playoffs in a long time — like, since Ronald Reagan’s first term
There are also the obvious effort metrics, but this was a mental and physical domination. In fact, Boston was so dialed in that the Sixers never led, and tied the game only once in the opening minutes.
The Sixers don’t shoot well (again)
There is no getting around the fact that the Sixers do not shoot on the same level as the Celtics. Boston boasts two tough shot-makers in Brown and Tatum. Players like Derrick White and Payton Pritchard are a class below them but are still serviceable. And Sam Hauser is a knock-down shooter from deep.
The Sixers don’t have quite the stable of Boston, which makes their shot profile especially important. Maxey is one of the league’s best scorers but can be inefficient at times and George, Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes, and Oubre can be streaky.
But as is the case for most shooters, seeing a few easy buckets go in the rim can quell some of those problems. Boston was also aware of this, and it made life hell for the Sixers to start the game. The Celtics corralled Maxey and Edgecombe, forcing the Sixers out of their offense and into one-on-one isolation plays much more than they’d like. That meant a tougher shot profile, with few straight-line drives or clean looks.
By the time the Sixers added more ball movement and got open looks, they were out of sync and couldn’t buy a bucket. They were especially dreadful from the three-point line. Oubre and Justin Edwards, who had become an asset of late, were incapable of converting open looks, making life tougher for Maxey and George as they battled to keep the Sixers within striking distance.
