The Celtics have performed numerous memorable video games in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers in the course of the period of The Course of.
All of us bear in mind Jayson Tatum’s 51-point Sport 7 in Spherical 2 of the 2023 playoffs.
We additionally bear in mind the Celtics sweeping the 76ers within the bubble and the 2018 playoffs when the Celtics took Philly out in 5 video games. There have been some traditional common season video games as nicely.
On February fifteenth, 2022, the Celtics blew the doorways off of Philadelphia, 135-87 behind 29 factors from Jaylen Brown and 28 factors from Jayson Tatum. There was the Jayson Tatum recreation winner on February twenty fifth, 2023, that was almost upstaged by a Joel Embiid buzzer beating tying shot. Nevertheless, it didn’t rely.
Nevertheless, possibly probably the most memorial recreation these two groups have performed not too long ago needed to be on December twenty fifth, 2018. It was the primary time these two groups performed since Philly acquired Jimmy Butler in a commerce with the Timberwolves.
In fact, this was a playoff rematch however these groups had performed on Opening Night time the place Boston blew the doorways off of Philadelphia 105-87 behind 23 factors and 9 rebounds by Jayson Tatum.
The 22-12 76ers got here to Boston to tackle the 19-13 Celtics, who had been carrying their inexperienced ‘Earned Version’ jerseys which the group bought as a result of they made the playoffs the earlier season. The Celtics beginning 5 included Kyrie Irving, Marcus Sensible, Jayson Tatum, Marcus Morris, and Al Horford.
This was a monster Joel Embiid recreation, scoring 34 factors, grabbing 16 rebounds and blocking 2 photographs. It was an amazing duel between Embiid and Horford, as nicely. Joel scored 16 factors taking pictures 6/13 from the sector and a couple of/4 from 3 when being guarded by Horford within the recreation.
It felt like on numerous performs Embiid bought the higher of Horford.
On his first hoop of the sport, Embiid posted up Horford and bought to the block with ease ending with a hook shot.
That is nice protection by Al. He makes use of his physique nicely to mess with Embiid’s dribble. He additionally does an amazing job as soon as Embiid re-gathers himself and would not enable Embiid to again him down. Nevertheless, Embiid makes an amazing play, pivoting round Al and attending to the cup for the deuce.
Al bought the higher of Joel on just a few performs as nicely.
Philly fakes a dribble hand up with Embiid and Butler and Embiid isolates. Horford does an excellent job at not letting him muscle his strategy to the basket and power a troublesome shot which he will get contest on, forcing the miss.
This was an enormous play late within the recreation, Embiid pump fakes the primary try, by which Horford did an excellent job of recovering and as soon as he pump fakes, Al is in good place. Embiid tries to shake Horford and when he can’t he places off a troublesome 3 with a very good contest. Even when Wilson Chandler (that could be a throwback title who I forgot was on this recreation) will get the offensive rebound, Tatum has an superior block to save lots of the possession.
Whereas the Embiid-Horford matchup was enjoyable, the story of the sport was Kyrie as a result of this evening belonged to him.
With 40 factors and 10 rebounds on 17/33 from the sector and 5/10 from 3, Kyrie Irving had possibly his greatest recreation as a Celtic on this one. His 23 first half factors allowed for the Celtics to construct a lead.
As the nice Hubie Brown mentioned, “simple, simply easy.”
It was begin for Irving however he actually took over this recreation on the finish of the 4th quarter and additional time. His final 4 buckets had been all in big-time moments and had been shows of elite shot making.
The best way he creates area by lulling Butler into stopping earlier than blasting in direction of the ring and ending with a really good lay is so good.
That is simply unbelievable shot making by an amazing participant. Butler performs superior isolation protection and forces Kyrie, who had clearly determined that he was taking this shot it doesn’t matter what, into a troublesome fall away jumper and whereas it did hit the entrance of the rim, Irving bought the shooters contact to tie the sport.
Kyrie will get the ball within the dribble handoff and does what he does greatest. That pull-up was so unbelievable to look at over these 2 seasons he was a Celtic and this shot was one other instance of his shot making skills. Nothing however web.
The group response tells you every thing. First a tip of the cap on that nice rebound by Tatum however that is about Irving’s shot. Up 1 with a minute and a half to go and he had the stones to tug up from 30 toes and to empty it the best way he did is what makes this so good.
He sees Butler is again monitoring and is aware of he could make that shot so he takes it. And he buries it. You must be so chilly to tug that off and (whereas I hate to confess it) Kyrie has all the time been that man… in contrast to another person on this recreation.
This was an unbelievable recreation and possibly the basketball gods will bless us with one other Celtics-Sixers traditional, although I would not thoughts a blowout Celtics win.
