76ers Gift Celtics Welcome Playoff Prep: 'Taken Tremendous Steps'

Tuesday night, the Sixers forced the Celtics to win without their best pitch. Boston responded by earning its first win when making five or fewer threes since 2018.

Even without Joel Embiid in the lineup, Nick Nurse, one of the NBA's best coaches on the defensive end, schemed up a game plan that gave the Celtics as much trouble as they've experienced this season.

Boston, an NBA-leading 46-12 after Tuesday's 117-99 win over the 76ers, has convincingly outplayed many of their opponents in the 2023-24 campaign.

But this rivalry clash at TD Garden challenged the hosts to overcome what they rely on most offensively: three-pointers.

The C's take and make the most in the Association. On Tuesday, Philadelphia limited them to 2/11 in the first 24 minutes, matching their season low in first-half attempts and 22 shots from beyond the arc for the game.

The Sixers' physicality and switch-heavy approach, emphasizing protecting the perimeter, forced Boston into dribble drives and making its living inside the arc.

A lack of physicality and not having the proper spacing consistently while figuring out how to adapt to what the 76ers were throwing at them resulted in nine first-half turnovers that the visitors parlayed into ten points, helping them stay within two, 53-51, at intermission.

But the Celtics aren't just relying on threes or having the most talented top six in the NBA this season. Those who have been here have matured, and Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis have aided that growth, with the latter's role in Jaylen Brown's leveling up as a facilitator a prime example.

It's a group that's made it a mission to go beyond being the more talented team each time it takes the court.

So, on a night where they had to win without their best pitch, the Celtics remedied what went wrong in the first two frames, playing with more force, taking better care of the ball, only committing five giveaways after the break, and consistently having the spacing necessary to capitalize. 

With Philadelphia trying to survive without its star center, the Sixers found themselves on their heels. Boston produced 64 points in the paint, 22 free throws to the visitors' seven in the second half, and went 34/37 for the game while its guests finished 11/12.

Between shooting 65.4 percent inside the arc and limiting the 76ers to two offensive rebounds and as many second-chance points after halftime, the hosts dictated the terms of play.

They held Philadelphia to 40.5 percent shooting in the final 24 minutes, including 7/21 (33.3 percent) from three-point range. After three-straight makes from beyond the arc fueled a 14-5 run to pull the Sixers within two, the Celtics responded with a 17-0 counter to put the game away.

At the podium, after holding up the stat sheet and stating his team's "Pretty comfortable" playing against a defense that challenges them in this way, a blueprint for what they'll see in the playoffs, Joe Mazzulla conveyed, "It's all right there; we're very comfortable. 

"So, it took us a little while to get to that space. So, once we're able to get to that spacing and understand how we're able to take advantage of the matchups differently, it made the game slow down for us. But I think we're very comfortable in it.

"And the key to that is playing physical offense, getting to the free-throw line, and making your free throws, but (also) our one-shot defense. And as long as we keep the relationship of the game being connected -- you can't attack if you don't defend, (and) you can't defend if you don't attack. As long as we keep that relationship, then we'll be able to play against any coverage."

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On the heels of a win in which the Celtics only made five threes, earning their first victory when converting on that amount or fewer since 2018, Jayson Tatum expressed, "I think it's rewarding that we have a balanced enough team, a good enough team, that we can win when they're win physical games, we can win fast-paced games, we can outthink other teams."

The five-time All-Star, who finished with 29 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists, the most in the matchup, continued, "We've got to be well-rounded. There's a bunch of different ways to win a basketball game, and we've got to be able to do every which way."

Kristaps Porzingis, who registered 23 points, 12 rebounds, the most in the contest, one steal, and a block, echoed that sentiment.

"It was good that we found different ways of winning," voiced the seven-foot-three center. "Some people are a little bit worried like, 'Oh, they only shoot threes, and what if they don't fall? Tonight was a good example, and we showed what we're capable of."

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The Latvian native went 12/12 at the free-throw line. Tatum was 10/11, and Jaylen Brown converted on 8/10. Boston's the first team since 2021 to have three players attempt at least ten foul shots.

The hosts manufactured 98 points at the free-throw line and inside the paint, coming within one of Philadelphia's total output; not bad for a team that had to win without its best pitch.

"We're able to adjust; we're versatile," said Brown. "We're able to read the game differently," adding, "I think that we have taken tremendous steps in that regard, and we're gonna have to keep going and keep maneuvering forward, especially getting ready towards the playoffs."

Getting a challenge like this is something the Celtics sounded grateful for afterward. It gave them even more confidence in their ability to win any style of game. 

It also provided invaluable playoff preparation that their coaching staff can now pull from to make it even harder to keep the team with the most talent in the NBA from lifting the Larry O'Brien Trophy this June.

Further Reading

Jaylen Brown's Evolution Crucial to Celtics' Desire to Win with More Than Talent

Celtics Embracing Challenge to Go Beyond Most Talented

Jayson Tatum Opens Up About Sacrificing in Celtics' Title Pursuit: 'It's a Process'

Kristaps Porzingis Shares How First Season with Celtics Compares to His Expectations: 'Haven't Stopped Smiling'

Jayson Tatum's Approach vs. Nets Tale of Two Halves and Steadfast Commitment

Brad Stevens Discusses Celtics' Plan for Final Roster Spot

Marcus Smart Shares How Boston Shaped Him, His Message to Celtics Fans

Celtics Maturation Molded by Experience: 'It Builds, Like, an Armor'

Jaylen Brown Quieting Doubters, Validating What He Always Believed: 'Earn Everybody's Trust'

Joe Mazzulla Discusses Identity, Evolution of Celtics' Offense: 'Balance of Pace and Execution'