Final: Sixers 108, Celtics 103 - C's blow late lead, fall to Sixers

Game 31
Boston Celtics (15-15, 8-5 home, T-8th East) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (15-15, 9-8 road, T-8th East)
TD Garden
7:30 - NBC Sports Boston, NBA TV

PROBABLE STARTERS

Boston: Dennis Schroder, Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Robert Williams

Philadelphia: Seth Curry, Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris, Danny Green, Isaiah Joe

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

- Celtics in Health and Safety Protocols: Sam Hauser, Juancho Hernangomez, Al Horford, Jabari Parker, Josh Richardson, Brodric Thomas, Grant Williams

- Sixers in Health and Safety Protocols: Andre Drummond, Shake Milton, Georges Niang

- Other Sixers injuries: Furkan Korkmaz (non-COVID illness), Jaden Springer (concussion protocol), and Tyrese Maxey (quad) are out. Joel Embiid (ankle), Danny Green (hip), are all questionable. Ben Simmons remains out due to his ongoing dispute with the team.

- The Celtics have signed CJ Miles to a 10-day hardship contract. 

- This is the second consecutive game facing a coach from the 2008 championship team (Tom Thibodeau, Knicks)

- Boston is favored by 3.5

GOING A LITTLE DEEPER

- This is, standings-wise, a pretty important game. We’re inching closer to the mid-point of the season and one of these teams, theoretically, can string some wins together and climb up the tightly-packed standings. If Boston wins this game, they can do no worse than a head-to-head tie against Philly.

That's important for tiebreaker purposes, and gives them the leeway to need just one win out of the next two Sixers matchups to earn it. 

That means we could be looking at G Leaguers playing meaningful minutes that determine the course of the playoffs. 

“They're veteran guys that have been around and they weren't just sitting at home on the couch,” Ime Udoka said. “They've been practicing with the G League teams, are playing and we got them for a reason. You can rely on them to do certain things, make shots, obviously, but they've been through a 15-year career for a guy like CJ. So if need be, we feel comfortable calling on those guys.”

It’s just another odd twist to an odd situation that saw Horford go back into COVID protocols just two months after a positive test, and Richards back in days after he tested out. 

“The Omicron variant is different than the others and that's what's affected quite a few people, it sounds like,” Udoka said. “So you don't have any immunity based on your previous situation with having COVID and so that's what makes it tricky. It's a whole different thing that a lot of people that have had COVID and within the last month or two still get affected by it. 

“So although it seems like somebody could have just been out this new variant increases that likelihood that you can catch it again with no problem. So guys are in that situation and, you know, that's why it's a lot of up and down back and forth with guys being in and out.”

- Jayson Tatum named Eastern Conference Player of the Week

The Celtics put out his numbers in a press release announcing the award: 

“Tatum produced a team-best 31.3 points on 50.0% shooting (36.1% 3-PT, 86.7% FT), 7.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.3 steals, and 38.8 minutes over three home games – including two Boston wins – against Milwaukee, Golden State, and New York. He registered at least 25 points and 5+ rebounds in each of the three contests, including a season-high 42 points on 16-of-25 shooting (7-13 3-PT) in Boston’s 117-103 victory over the Bucks on Dec. 13.”

THREE THINGS TO WATCH 

1. The Tatum post-award bump: Tatum has a tendency to take accolades to heart and come out with even more confidence. With a POTW honor in his back pocket and an injury-ravaged Sixers in front of him, he could take this opportunity to drop a monster game. 

2. The same ol’ trap: The Celtics have a win in hand over these Sixers and they're in a really rough spot player-wise. For all their COVID issues, Boston still has four of their full-strength starters and their normal replacement starter. That might sound like a great thing, and it normally is, but it also could fuel that complacency that strikes these guys in situations like this. 

3. Defending Embiid?: A huge reason why the Celtics were able to get past the Sixers last time was a very lethargic Embiid who was coming off COVID protocols. Embiid has been saddled with injuries all season, so his level of aggression is kind of a wildcard. If they get “settles for jumpers” Embiid, then they're given a big gift. 

Without Horford, who not only defended him well but also drew him away from the basket, the Celtics will have to come up with another plan to guard a more aggressive Embiid.  

GAME THREAD

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