This shock at the top, long awaited, will have only been the name. Indeed, there was no match last night between Philadelphia and Boston, as the Celtics dominated their subject (135-87!), carried by an incredible outside address at the start of the game and a Jayson Tatum – Jaylen Brown tandem at the height of the event.
The C’s quickly took off, under the impetus of an unstoppable Jaylen Brown and author of 11 of his team’s first 16 points, to relegate the Sixers to -12. Philly then started chasing the score, without succeeding in stopping the crazy offensive dynamic of Ime Udoka’s men, who achieved a real festival at 3-pts. Beginning with an incredible 10/13 in the exercise, with Jaylen Brown, him again, or Aaron Nesmith (32-22).
Marcus Smart’s injured outing with a right ankle hit and Joel Embiid’s big dunk weren’t much of a game-changer, with Boston finishing the first half 9-0, powered by line Jayson Tatum – Jaylen Brown-Derrick White (69-42).
Despite this already comfortable lead, the Celtics did not ease their way back from the locker room, restarting with a 16-6, instigated by 3-pts from Grant Williams and Al Horford, before Derrick White finished it. Euphoric, the C’s continued their collective demonstration, largely winning the third quarter, after a final disgusting missile from afar, signed Jayson Tatum (101-58).
Until the end, the Sixers will have drunk the cup defensively, since the trio Payton Pritchard – Aaron Nesmith – Sam Hauser made miseries to the premises in the last act, to lead to this final gap without appeal: +48!
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– 3-point franchise record for Boston. The Celtics killed the suspense in this meeting in the first half, relying particularly on a weapon: their external address. And they never gave up afterwards. On arrival, it also hurts very badly for Philly, with a particularly salty addition. A difference in the score which is explained in particular by the difference in the level of winning success: 56% at 3-pts for Boston (25/45), against only 25% for Philadelphia (8/32).
– All the lights are green for the Celtics. What an unexpected turnaround for Boston, which shone with its irregularity during the first part of the campaign and which is now surfing on a magnificent series. In addition, the C’s have succeeded in their “trade deadline” by strengthening themselves without affecting their major players. And the evolution of this team was obvious on this match, undoubtedly the best ever delivered by the troops of Ime Udoka. Between sparkling attack and suffocating defense, without Robert Williams and while Marcus Smart was injured, everything was (almost) perfect for the Massachusetts franchise!
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Jaylen Brown. A breathtaking start to the game, which put the Celtics in orbit, and more generally a first half where nothing resisted him, since he scored 26 of his 29 points. And for good reason: the outcome of the match was already settled at the break. Something tells us that the Boston player did not appreciate the selection of Jarrett Allen as replacement for James Harden, at the All-Star Game 2022…
✅ Jayson Tatum. With 28 points but also 12 rebounds and 6 assists on the clock, the All-Star winger also delivered a full game. We feel the confidence that currently reigns in the ranks of the Celtics and which reflects on the whole collective, and in particular the game of Jayson Tatum. Evidenced by his “step away” 3-pts ahead of Furkan Korkmaz, to conclude the third quarter with an unreal score (101-58!).
⛔ Matisse Thybulle. We could have put the whole team, so much nothing worked at the Sixers, but as the Australian is a reference in defense and the Celtics played their game in attack, it was he who was “preferred” to others. Because he not only weighed very little (if at all) defensively, compared to the performances of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but he was also terribly clumsy in shooting (0/6 to 3 -pts), to finish with… 1 point in 23 minutes.
THE FOLLOWING
Philadelphia (34-23): the Sixers visit the Bucks on Wednesday.
Boston (34-25): against the Pistons, the Celtics will be aiming for a 10th straight win on Wednesday.
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