(Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Final: Celtics 125, Sixers 119 - Ugly, sloppy, uninspired ... but a win nonetheless
BOSTON CELTICS vs. PHILADELPHIA 76ers
7:30 p.m., NBC Sports Boston/ESPN
Line: Boston -9.5
INJURIES
Boston: Kristaps Porzingis (OUT, calf)
Sixers: Joel Embiid (OUT, illness), Tyrese Maxey (QUESTIONABLE OUT, illness), Danuel House (OUT, thigh), Kelly Oubre (OUT, ribs), Nic Batum (OUT, finger)
LAST TIME
Jrue Holiday set the early tone by getting to the basket, but the Celtics opened up a 15-point lead thanks to a defense-fueled 12-2 run with Jayson Tatum on the bench. They lost it all in another sloppy, disastrous second quarter where Tyrese Maxey did whatever he wanted. Things flipped again as Boston went from down one to up eight in the third thanks to three straight 3-pointers from Al Horford. Horford continued to make a huge impact with his defense, combining with Derrick White to finish Philly off and reclaim first place.
THINGS I’M LOOKING FOR
1. Focus: The Sixers are pretty shorthanded, and the Celtics have an In-Season Tournament game coming up on Monday. I felt like there was already a weird vibe around what should have been a big game, and now I wonder if the C’s might take the Sixers lightly and have more trouble than they should.
2. Attacking the basket: Without Embiid there to protect the rim, I want to see Tatum attack with some relentlessness and have the whole offense flow from there. This could be a big game for him.
3. Keeping the shooting touch: A couple of guys who were having a tough shooting stretch found their groove against Chicago. It’d be nice to keep that rolling here to keep building that confidence.
Follow along with my thoughts as the game goes on. They’ll show up below and in the comments section, so hop in and share your opinion as well.