PHILADELPHIA — Long after Joel Embiid accepted his MVP award … well after Jayson Tatum’s spinning baseline fadeaway to bury Philadelphia and send the Sixers slinking into the tunnel under a shower of boos … the Wells Fargo center fell silent under a dim haze of house lights.
The crew cleaning the arena for the next batch of screaming Philadelphians filled with rum and hate was on a break. The only sound in the building was Player’s “Baby Come Back” playing from somewhere on the concourse.
As I sat there alone, I felt like it was some sort of cosmic plea to Game 1 James Harden.
If the Sixers find that guy again, they might have a chance at making things interesting. But, just like the rodents of unusual size which pose a deadly threat, I don't think he exists.
Harden continued a longstanding tradition in Philadelphia of point guards disappearing when needed most. Soon, Harden could also leave the Sixers, and will also be forever chided as a failure in a city that knows basketball failure all too well.
Sixers fans were more ready for this game than their point guard. The arena was full and frenzied with anticipation of taking control of a series against the hated Boston Celtics. Everyone in this building knew a win in Game 3 would put all the pressure in the world on the Celtics and their young head coach.
This was their chance. They could taste it.
And Boston slapped that taste out of everyone’s mouths within minutes. Boston’s opening run was stunning, much like an electric fence is to a dog. The initial shock quieted the rabid fans as they tried to figure out what the hell was going on.
“The environment was electric tonight,” Tatum said. “As a competitor, you like being a part of games like that."
For the second straight game, it was Boston’s defense that did most of the heavy lifting. The Celtics held the Sixers to 102 points and a 106.3 offensive rating. That number would have ranked last in the NBA this season.
“We know if we're gonna have a shot at a championship this year it's gonna be, defensively, we're gonna have been on a whole different level than we were in the regular season,” Malcolm Brogdon said. “I think the last few games have really shown that.”
The Celtics have been steadier on the defensive end since Game 1. Not only are the Celtics leaning on Harden to force the ball out of his hands, they are sending a multitude of different looks at Embiid.
That play is notable not just for the blindside steal, but because Brogdon was the defender. When Embiid is facing up at the top of the key, the Celtics are starting to throw guards at him in hopes of their quick hands deterring him from putting the ball on the floor and driving to the rim. Once he does decide to drive, the rest of the defense snaps down on him like a Venus flytrap snagging its prey. Sure, sometimes Embiid will hit a jumper, but every defense in the world will live with Embiid jumpers if that's the shot he gets for a series.
“With those guys there's always a pro and a con to a matchup and a situation, and so I think just trying to give him different looks, trying to take away different angles,” Joe Mazzulla said after the Game 3 win. “Every matchup presents a different angle that he has to fight for to get the ball, so just trying to do the best we can with our different guys. We have a ton of versatility and the guys take pride in defense, and so they just work to try to make it difficult for him.”
To his credit, Embiid looked a lot better in this game and he was able to get to the line for an 11-12 night to fuel his 30 points. He played 39 minutes and he made his presence felt. The problem for the Sixers was that the Celtics' defense limited Harden and Tyrese Maxey to 7-30 shooting combined. PJ Tucker and Tobias Harris combined for 16 points.
Boston’s biggest issue was putting the Sixers on the line 27 times, but even though they were out-scored at the free-throw line and matched at the 3-point line, the Celtics were able to handle their business inside the arc.
The Celtics were 22-41 on 2-pointers. The Sixers were 15-41.
Philadelphia fans came here angry and ready to focus their hate on the Celtics. They left angry and booing their home team, mostly Harden, for sending them home with a very familiar feeling.
They trail the Celtics in the series 2-1, giving back the home-court advantage they stole. Their MVP is playing through an injury that should have cost him a month of playing time, and he was really good while doing it.
But the rest of the team was blah. Al Horford, a villain because of basketball reasons that still exist in Philadelphia, picked them apart from deep. And once again there don’t seem to be any answers for the Sixers.