The NBA is back! To officially launch the 2022/23 fiscal year, head to Boston for the very first game of this new season, with an enticing display between the Celtics and the 76ers.
Last season’s finalists face the Philadelphia squad, which is entering its first real year in the Joel Embiid-James Harden era. But above all, a match which brings with it a major challenge: the “tie-breaker” between these two formations which play in the same division, and which aim for the same objective: a place in the Top 4 of their conference at the end of the season.
Great basketball to start
After a brief start-up period for both sides during the first few possessions (first a 9-2 in favor of the Celtics, then a 9-0 in response from the 76ers), the level of play stabilized, and the “show” can begin.
Things start with James Harden, in great shape to start this season: the bearded rear planted 16 points (8/8 on free throws) in the first quarter, and reassured from the start about his physical form and his volume of play. Then comes the incredible second quarter: 73 points scored at 28/41 on cumulative shots (13/20 from the 76ers, 15/21 from the Celtics), in the form of a 39 -34 in favor of the Boston troops. We enjoyed this crazy game without moderation, and all the executives put their hearts into their work: Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris all three exceeded 10 points in support of James Harden, while the ” Jay’s” from the Celtics compiled 34 points, well supported by a brilliant Malcolm Brogdon off the bench (10 points at 5/7).
At the break, as if it could not be otherwise after this bitter fight in the first 24 minutes of the season, the two teams are tied on the floor of TD Garden (63-63).
Philly skates, Tatum confirms
The sequel is a little different. Indeed, after the start of the second half marked by the first confusion of the season, in which Marcus Smart is obviously involved (with Joel Embiid), the momentum clearly swings to one side, for the first time in the game.
That of Boston, and that can be explained by two very simple reasons: the air pocket of the 76ers in the third quarter, disappointing in attack after a nevertheless satisfactory first period, and the explosion of Jayson Tatum, already hot in first period and which adds 17 points (7/9) to his personal counter in the only third quarter, at the end of which he points to 33 points.
Distanced but not yet dropped (88-98) when attacking the last act, the 76ers rely on Tyrese Maxey to keep hope, with the former Kentucky who signs a big passage after a long time of discretion in his team’s attack. The illusion that the 76ers are still in the game lasts for a few possessions, but reality quickly returns: Doc Rivers’ men rely on outside shots to close the gap, but miss most of their open attempts. While the Celtics, through the inexhaustible Grant Williams in particular, continue to add points.
The gap reached 15 points at the end of the game, before stabilizing at +9 at the final buzzer (126-117). Defending champions of the Eastern Conference, the Celtics ideally launch their 2022/23 season after a delicate offseason.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– The third quarter, fatal to the 76ers. Their first half was however so convincing… When they returned from the locker room, the 76ers lost the thread in attack: they certainly added 25 points at 9/19 on shots on the accounting level in the third quarter, but in the facts they regressed by chaining too many phases of isolations which lead to bad shots or loss of ball. They mostly ceded to Boston the momentum at this time of the meeting, and never managed to recover from it thereafter.
– Speedy Celtics. Taking advantage in particular of the 14 ball losses of their opponents, the Celtics galloped: 24 points on counter-attack. If we add to this the fact that their half-court attack was very effective, it is easy to understand how they scored 126 points in the first game of the season.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ The “Jay’s”. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are ready to reclaim the title this season: 35 points each, 27/44 on shots combined. Impressive ease.
✅ Grant Williams. Despite the probable disappointment of not having been extended by the Celtics in recent hours, the Celtics’ luxury “role player” did the job: 15 points at 5/5 on shots in 24 minutes. A serious candidate in the race for the “Sixth Man Of The Year”?
✅ Celtics accuracy: 126 points scored at 46/82 on shots (56.1%), 24 assists for 10 ball losses. The first outing of the season for the Celtics was a “masterclass”.
✅ James Harden. He is one of the most anticipated players at the turn of the season, and he did not disappoint for his first outing: “The Beard” compiled 35 points (9/14, 12/12 in free throws), 8 rebounds and 7 assists. We may regret some hasty decisions in attack in the third quarter, but his performance is overall XXL. Philly’s best player in this first game of the season.
⛔️ The 76ers bench. Who only scored 11 points. Against 34 for the substitutes of the Celtics, including 31 for the duo Grant Williams – Malcolm Brogdon. While the summer recruiting was supposed to go in part to improving that area, the 76ers’ second stingers need to do better.
The following
– Celtics : trip to Miami, on the night of Friday to Saturday (01:30 a.m.)
– 76ers : reception of the Bucks, on the night of Thursday to Friday (01:30)
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