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The Top 5 Plays from Wednesday's Celtics-Sixers Game
Boston converting blocks into buckets is a common theme in the breakdown of the top five plays from Wednesday's Celtics-Sixers game.
Protecting the Rim at One End Leads to Finishing Above it at the Other
Luke Kornet gets help from Sam Hauser, who's pinching in, then shows before retreating back to Shake Milton.
Kornet does an excellent job staying with Tobias Harris on the drive, the contact the latter initiates doesn't create separation, and the seven-foot-two center swats his layup attempt.
Boston doesn't have a numbers advantage in transition, but Georges Niang comes to form a wall with Milton, then takes a terrible angle to try to stop Jaylen Brown.
And with Montrezl Harrell's staying with Hauser, it's up to Tyrese Maxey to protect the rim, a losing proposition, resulting in him making a business decision to get out of the way.
Luke Kornet Turns Back Joel Embiid
As the first half came to a close, Joel Embiid, still frustrated after picking up a technical while expressing his displeasure with the lack of a foul call a few minutes before this, charged his way to the rim, something that almost always ends with a dunk.
Except this time, it produced a different outcome as Kornet rotates, rises, and stuffs Embiid without fouling.
Blake Griffin Steps Up for Shorthanded Celtics
Blake Griffin started for the shorthanded Celtics on Wednesday, and the five-time All-NBA selection came up big in Boston's win.
Griffin chipped in 15 points, going 5/8 from beyond the arc, repeatedly making Philadelphia pay for leaving him open.
That included the sequence above.
In the first play, P.J. Tucker jumps toward Jayson Tatum when Grant Williams sets the screen. That prompts the latter to quickly turn toward Tatum to give the Celtics' star an outlet.
With Tucker on his side, Williams heads downhill, getting into the paint and forcing Embiid to rotate. Williams then delivers a cross-court hook pass off the dribble to an open Griffin for his first of these two corner threes.
In the second instance, De'Anthony Melton positions himself for a screen for Tatum, which never comes. He recovers well but can't prevent the four-time All-Star from striding past him.
With Embiid rotating to protect the rim, James Harden has to zone two. That means when Tatum regains control of the ball, the kick-out pass to Griffin is available.
He makes it even easier with a no-look pass to the corner that keeps Harden stationary, and again, Griffin knocks down the open attempt from beyond the arc.
Malcolm Brogdon's Above-the-Rim Finish
When Harden and Harris bump into each other as Malcolm Brogdon starts his drive, it gives the latter a runway to the rim. And with Harrell lifted, covering Kornet, and Maxey and Niang focused on Payton Pritchard and Hauser, Brogdon gets to the cylinder and throws down his second dunk of the season.
Derrick White's Tommy Point Leads to a Sam Hauser 3
Derrick White makes quite the play to make up for the turnover, sprinting back and arriving in time to record a chase-down block on Harris' layup attempt.
At the other end, it's four-on-four, and Hauser attacks Harrell off the dribble. But rather than going to the rim, he heads toward Griffin in the corner. And with Harrell not following him, Hauser gets the ball back and drills an open three.
Honorable Mention
As a bonus clip from a night filled with potential candidate's worthy of a spot in the top five plays, here's Tatum rotating to thwart James Harden at the rim.
Further Reading
The Latest on Jaylen Brown's Facial Fracture and How Long He Might Be Out
Celtics Reportedly Shopping Package of Payton Pritchard and Danilo Gallinari
Nothing More Than a Rumor: The Celtics Should Not and Will Not Trade Jaylen Brown for Kevin Durant
A Potential Buyout Target and the Celtics are Reportedly Showing Mutual Interest
