The 2023 NBA Playoffs have been full of upsets, but there may be none bigger than the one the Boston Celtics suffered through in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal against the Philadelphia 76ers. Despite being at home and the 76ers playing without MVP Joel Embiid, the Celtics lost the game 119-115.
James Harden had a vintage MVP performance of his own, picking up the slack with Embiid sidelined en route to a 45-point game. Tyrese Maxey chipped in 26 points while Paul Reed was excellent as Embiid’s replacement, scoring 10 points with 13 rebounds.
Down 1-0, you knew the Celtics would come out with some fire and desire in Game 2. Going to Philadelphia down 2-0 was not an option for Boston, who spoiled Embiid’s return to the lineup with a dominant 121-87 victory.
“I think we’ve just got to take more pride in ourselves. That’s it,” Brown said. “I just feel like we underperformed last game. We wanted to come out and play to the best of our ability. And that’s what we did.”
Brown led the way for Boston with 25 points for his second consecutive strong game of the series. It was an impressive victory for the Celtics as they received virtually nothing from Jayson Tatum, who played only 19 minutes and had more fouls, four, than shots made, one.
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers & Boston Celtics Updates
But, his teammates were more than capable of picking up the slack. Five Celtics scored in double-figures, including Grant Williams and Malcolm Brogdon who scored 12 and 23 points respectively off the bench.
While it was an impressive performance, the veteran Brogdon knows there is plenty of work left. “It doesn’t mean anything if there’s no carryover,” Brogdon said.
With the series set to shift to the City of Brotherly Love for Games 3 and 4, the Celtics know things are going to be tough. Embiid was able to knock some of the rust off in Game 2 and should be ready to go again in Game 3.
“I felt pretty good to play and I felt like I could help the team,” Embiid said. “I feel like I just got this out the way. Disappointed by the loss. But that’s a step toward getting back to myself.”
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers & Boston Celtics Updates
The 76ers did their job winning Game 1 to steal home court advantage. They will be looking to hold court in Game 3 on Friday, but the Celtics are riding some momentum into the game.
Just as Embiid is ready to have a bigger impact, it is hard to imagine Tatum not getting back on track as well. Boston will need him on the court much more than he was in Game 2, where the foul trouble took him out of rhythm.
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