PHILADELPHIA -- From the very start of the game, there was something different in the air. You could just tell that this game meant something to both teams.
Jaylen Brown wanted it badly. It felt like the Boston Celtics' bench wanted it badly for Jayson Tatum. The Philadelphia 76ers crowd booed whenever Tatum had the ball. The Celtics bench cheered whenever Tatum made a play.
There was a beautiful tension in the air that made the game feel special. And the Celtics found a way to rise to the moment. They blew the doors off Philadelphia in the second half.
Paul George completely dominated. He got whatever he wanted in the second half, and by the 5:35 mark of the fourth, Nick Nurse pulled his starters and waved the white flag.
No matter what the team's said about 'treating it like a normal game,' this one was anything but normal. And the Celtics walked away with a FINALSCORE victory.
Up: Paul George
During a game that was headlined by Tatum and Brown, George stole the show. He's been great for the Celtics all season, and that trend continued on Tuesday night in Philadelphia.
George's off-ball movement was crisp. He came flying off screens, floated into space, and got to his shot. And when the ball was in his hands, the Celtics' offense flowed beautifully.
He also picked up some big-time defensive assignments in this game. George guarded Brown for long stretches, and he checked LeBron James at times, too.
His fingerprints were all over this game. And in the fourth quarter, George took over. He made every shot. Tatum took his usual rest to begin the frame, and George ascended to another level of basketball talent.
By the end of the night, George was knocking down shots and flipping off the Philadelphia crowd. The Sixers couldn't do anything to stop him.
George finished the game with 36 points, five rebounds, and one assist. He shot 14-of-22 from the field and 6-of-11 from beyond the 3-point arc.
Down: Fouling
One look at the box score would tell you this. The Celtics couldn't stop fouling. Some of them were bad fouls. Boston reaching in or being late on a rotation. Others were unlucky.
Joel Embiid is phenomenal at getting the referee to call a foul. He seeks out contact, and whether or not you agree with his methods, they are certainly effective. He gets to the line.
Part of the Celtics' turnover-creating defense is an increase in fouls. That showed up against a stacked 76ers lineup that was willing to look for contact and lean into their ability to get to the free-throw line.
The Sixers shot 28 free throws on Monday night. The Celtics shot five. And it was still a blowout.
Up: Neemias Queta
Tatum and George run the Celtics' offense. Things play through them. But this game proved just how integral Neemias Queta is to Boston's offensive process.
He never stops moving on that end of the court. If he's not running to set a flare screen, he's popping to catch the ball at the top of the key. And from there, he's running a dribble handoff or threading a pass to an off-ball cutter.
Queta rolls to the rim with force, sets great screens, and has developed an impressive chemistry with Boston's ball-handlers. Without him, Tatum, George, and the rest of the Celtics' top scorers wouldn't be able to do what they do.
He finished the game with four points, six rebounds, and three assists on 2-of-4 shooting from the floor. But his offensive impact stretched well beyond the box score.
Down: First-half Payton Pritchard
It hasn't been the best start to the season for Payton Pritchard. And in the first half on Tuesday night, it looked like more of the same. Pritchard couldn't find his shot.
That's been the trend. Last year, Pritchard was elite in isolation. He could create separation with ease. That just hasn't been the case this season.
Pritchard has been struggling to create against heavy ball pressure. It happened against the New York Knicks. And against the Houston Rockets at times. The issue popped up in the first half on Tuesday.
It wasn't his worst showing. Pritchard still made some shots. But it just felt like he had way more to give than what he showed.
Up: Second-half Payton Pritchard
And that was the truth. Once the second half came around, the Celtics got a new version of Pritchard. All of the first-half struggles disappeared, and Pritchard transformed into one of the best players on the court.
After a 76ers run to tie the game, Pritchard helped the Celtics respond. He nailed a couple of threes (including one that bounced off the top of the backboard and in) to slow Philadelphia down.
Then, when the fourth quarter began, Pritchard took things to another level. He was creating step-backs, moving perfectly off the ball, and draining every shot that came his way.
Alongside George, Pritchard helped the Celtics balloon their lead into a 20-plus-point advantage. He was a huge reason they were able to close this one out in the fourth.
Pritchard ended the game with 18 points, six rebounds, and five assists while shooting 7-of-15 from the field and 4-of-8 from behind the 3-point line.
Down: Guarding Tyrese Maxey
It's not close, and someone mentioned it in the live-coverage comments: Tyrese Maxey is still the best player on the Sixers. When he had the ball in his hands, there was nothing the Celtics could do.
Baylor Scheierman was spinning around screens, and Maxey took advantage. Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, and even Pritchard, at times, tried their best. Nobody could stay in front of him.
Some players in the league are just impossible to guard. Boston definitely needs to do a better job on guys like him, but Maxey is just that good. He put up 24 points, one rebound, and four assists on 8-of-12 shooting from the field and 3-of-4 shooting from distance.
It felt like the Sixers didn't run through him as much as they could have. They spread the floor around when it was clear that he was the only player who could get anything on offense.