The Philadelphia 76ers fell to the Boston Celtics in game one. The intensity of play was elevated, and so were the stakes. There were adjustments made at the half for the Sixers, but it was not enough.
Game one of the Philadelphia 76ers-Boston Celtics series is in the books.
The anticipation for this series has been built upon decades of rivalrous memories. Wilt Chamberlain vs. Bill Russell. Julius Erving vs. Larry Bird. Now, Joel Embiid vs. Jayson Tatum. The young two stars did not disappoint.
Early on, Embiid was possessed. He was 5-for-5 from the field, posting up his opponents and scoring at will. His step-back 3-point shot with the clock running down was as impressive as it was insane. Also in a zone, Tobias Harris looked sharp, showing off his diverse skill set as an offensive specialist. Harris made some nifty moves on several plays, with some adept footwork and spin moves that led to his textbook pull-up jump shot.
Players that made their presence felt right off the bench include Matisse Thybulle and Alec Burks. With Thybulle, he made a classic tip-block as Tatum attempted a jumper.
You already know what @MatisseThybulle was ready to do once he checked in.#PhilaUnite pic.twitter.com/k6jkI5KcrP
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) August 17, 2020
Thybulle then got himself in the scorer’s column with an open 3-pointer. Burks came in and hit a 3 right off the bat and made some veteran plays before the end of the half that demonstrated his value to the team.
As everyone expected, Jayson Tatum was a major factor for the Celtics. What wasn’t expected was how unguardable he was throughout the first three quarters. He made it look easy and made his opponents pay whenever he touched the ball. Whether from beyond the arc, in the paint, or from the charity stripe, Tatum showed why he should have been the number one pick in the draft over Markelle Fultz.
The third quarter was a different story for the Sixers. During halftime, Brett Brown likely tore into his team about their turnover issues. They only committed three in the third quarter. Also, in the quarter, a few players came to life and made a solid contribution. Al Horford was one of them. Horford made some nice defensive plays, particularly on Jaylen Brown. On the offensive side, Horford hit a nice baseline jumper and made a power move, posting up former teammate, Jayson Tatum, and scored at the rim. You could hear Horford’s passionate yell through the television.
As the fourth quarter started, the 76ers found themselves with a four point lead at 79-75. The Sixers flipped a switch and asserted themselves on both ends of the floor in the third, hoping to keep that momentum going. For Boston, they ended a 15-0 run by the Sixers with a Jaylen Brown 3-pointer, one of several he would make in the game.
Things got chippy, as Embiid fouled Marcus Smart in the lane. Smart chirped at Embiid, extending the play via drama. Later in the quarter, a bogus flagrant was called on Al Horford, as he fouled Jaylen Brown going to the basket. The acting by Brown could have earned him an Oscar, flailing his arms and playing the victim role, subsequently making the free throw awarded by the referees.
Embiid was not as dominant in the second half, but did have some nice plays. One play showed off his baseline drive skills that ended with an emphatic dunk. Another displayed his passing skills, hitting Thybulle for a nice backdoor slam. Things did not get any easier though for the Sixers.
A 9-0 run by the Celtics forced the Sixers to pick up the pace as the clock ticked away. After a pull-up jumper by Burks and his free throw, another 3 in transition for Jaylen Brown put the Celtics up by eight.
Down eight, the Sixers sought to climb within six. With Boston over the foul limit, the Sixers targeted the paint, getting Embiid the ball. Burks came up big, getting a tip-in basket with a little under two minutes to go. After a missed 3-pointer by Theis, the Sixers had a chance to inch closer, but a miss by Tobias Harris and a foul on Walker after a rebound led to a Celtic lead that they would not relinquish.
Josh Richardson stepped up and hit a huge three to make it a one possession game. The next play, Tatum got to the line and sank both shots, getting him a career playoff high.
The sloppy turnovers in the first half made the hill for the 76ers too difficult to climb. It appeared that Boston’s resilience rose to the occasion, while the 76ers did not have enough possessions to come away with the win.
To their credit, the Celtics made a classy decision on an inbounds steal with less than 10 seconds to play. With an open court and room for a windmill dunk, Jaylen Brown dribbled out the clock to conclude the game.
Can the Sixers rebound from the game one loss? Will they take better care of the ball in game two? Will Shake Milton be more consistent through four quarters? One can assume that Ben Simmons’ absence hurt their defensive proficiency, but there is no more room for excuses if the Sixers hope to evade a first-round boot.
The Sixers and Celtics play game two of the series on Wednesday, August 19 at 6:30 PM E.T. on TNT.