Against all odds in view of how bad they played in their first game, Philadelphia 76ers managed to shock everyone and upset the Boston Celtics on their home floor in Game 2, routing them by 14 en route to a critical victory. Now, they have snatched homecourt advantage and will now look into putting the No. 2 seed in the East in a blender as they series shifts to Philly.
Three-point shooting was the tell-all story in Game 2 for the 76ers, alongside the heroics of their starting backcourt in VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey, who collaborated for 59 points and combined to shoot 11-22 from three-point range. Having said that, one key change which Nick Nurse has to implement starting in Game 3 is playing Andre Drummond over Adem Bona much more.
In Game 2, Drummond saw the hardwood for 26 minutes whereas Bona played just 22. In Game 1, the veteran big man logged 21 while the sophomore registered just 14 minutes. Still, it feels like Bona has not really made his minutes count as of late, and with Drummond playing well, the 76ers should double down on that configuration moving forward in this series.
The 76ers need to give Andre Drummond even more minutes against the Celtics
With Joel Embiid still sidelined without a clear timeline toward making a return, the 76ers will be heavily leaning into their troika of big men in Drummond, Bona, and Dominick Barlow. Each of those big men tout different skill sets and niches, but Drummond in particular has clearer advantages over the Celtics' personnel.
As crazy as this sounds in 2026, Drummond –– despite his clear decline as a finisher in the paint and above the rim –– remains a more foolproof option on the offensive end due to his abrupt improvement as a three-point shooter, especially in the corners. The 76ers have been wise in using it just sporadically, but he at least gives the team more breathing room to operate in the half court. The same cannot be said for the other two.
Bona, on the other hand, has not given the 76ers anything on offense. His defensive activity can be remarkable at times, but there is not a lot of dimension yet to his game. Heck, even his rebounding leaves a lot to be desired at times.
Right now, the 76ers have a better chance at keeping their winning momentum with Andre Drummond soaking up the majority of minutes at the 5. Hopefully, the coaches will go with this adjustment and keep it intact for the rest of the series.
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