BSJ Game Report: Sixers 117, Celtics 116 - Pritchard misses late chance to beat Philly

Everything you need to know about the Celtics' loss to the Sixers, with BSJ insight and analysis.

IN A NUTSHELL

The Celtics spread the offense around in the first quarter, but Philly got 14 points from rookie VJ Edgecombe to keep it within two after one. Tyrese Maxey took over in the second to fuel an eight-point Sixers lead, but that lead flipped to Boston by 11 thanks to a monster third quarter from Derrick White. The lead was seven with 4:44 to go, but the Sixers closed on a 17-7 run to end the game. 

Box Score

HEADLINES

- Tough loss: Giving up 42 points in the fourth quarter is bad. Giving up 19 in less than five minutes is worse. The Celtics got sloppy with the ball, sloppy with screens, and sloppy with their defense. Their offensive struggles compounded the problem, but somehow they still had the ball and nearly eight seconds to win the game. 

“I made the wrong read,” Payton Pritchard said of his first of two cracks at winning the game. “I thought I could get him in the air and draw a foul there, but the right read was a little kick-out to Anfernee (Simons). So it’s a growing process. You learn from it and you get better.”

- Still, a lot of positives: I think one big takeaway after the postgame media sessions is that this team understands they are still very much a work in progress. Guys were down because they lost, but they were definitely encouraged by the things they did well, and they think their mistakes are correctable. 

- Holy Edgecombe: Edgecombe’s 34 points were the most in an NBA debut since Wilt Chamberlain’s 43 … Almost 66 years ago to the day (October 24, 1959).

"For a rookie to come in, first game and put up (those numbers), it was impressive," White said. "I don't know if I've ever seen somebody have that in his debut, but he had a really good game."

TURNING POINT

Maxey went into takeover mode, scoring four points and assisting on a 3-pointer to fuel an 8-0 run within that 17-7 finish. The Sixers went from down four to up four in 80 seconds. 

THINGS I LIKED

- Derrick White: He struggled with his shot, but I thought he did most things very well. His third quarter was spectacular (13 points, 7-7 FT), and it seemed like he was Boston’s best player for a long stretch. I would have found a way for him to get the last look of the game, but I can’t really argue with Pritchard getting a decent look.

- Getting out in transition: The Celtics slowed down a little too much in the fourth quarter, which dragged their overall transition numbers down. At one point, they were in transition for 23% of their possessions. That number dropped to 17% overall, which tells you how much they slowed down. Still, I’m focusing on the positive for now. 

- Jaylen Brown: 25 points, 50% shooting, six rebounds, and four assists, and I think there is a LOT of room for him to be better. He can get in there and rebound more to help alleviate some of the second chances Philly got. 

- Neemias Queta: The late fouls hurt, especially the hip check offensive foul, but he had a stretch of late baskets that gave him eight fourth quarter points. He also got a few late rebounds, and I thought maybe this was going to be a Queta postgame night. It certainly wasn’t perfect, but he played well. 

- Payton Pritchard: He struggled from deep (1-7 from 3), but the one that came in the clutch and gave the Celtics a chance to win. He didn’t quit, and I thought his overall game (16 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals) was good. 

- Anfernee Simons: 13 points off the bench and some tantalizing offensive moves. He also played some decent defense. 

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE

- Shooting: The Celtics finished 11-43 from 3, and I liked almost all of those shots. It’s tough to shoot less than 26% and win. 

- Late mistakes: Queta and Sam Hauser both set illegal screens down the stretch. They couldn't defend without fouling, committing NINE fouls in the final five minutes. Maybe a couple of those were tough calls, but most were the result of aggressive play by the Sixers. 

- Letting Maxey slide: He picked up his fifth foul with 11:13 to go in the fourth, and the Celtics didn’t hunt him hard enough for him to foul him out. I don’t want anyone to overdo it and screw up the offense trying to foul someone out, but I didn’t see anyone really going at him to try to get him out. 

HIGHLIGHTS

TWO TAKES KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

- Baylor Scheierman and Jordan Walsh better figure things out. 

Both were DNP-Coach’s Decision in this game. Both were expected to make some kind of contribution this season, and neither has shown enough to get minutes in a game like this. 

I hope they get the message because they could have been helpful down the stretch. 

- Joel Embiid looks BAD

I don’t know if he was playing passively or if he’s just cooked, but he looked horrible. He had Brown and Hauser on the block and didn’t even try to back either of them down. Some of Boston’s best offense came when they were attacking him in the half-court. He didn’t play down the stretch and the Sixers won. 

I know it’s early and he’s rehabbing, but this was a shockingly bad performance. If he plays against Boston next week, the Celtics had better throttle Philly with him on the court.

Next up: The Celtics hit the road, starting a three-game trip in New York on Friday night.