The Celtics tackle the 76ers in Philadelphia for Sport 4 of the Jap Convention Semifinals. The 76ers shocked the Celtics 119-115 in Boston in Sport 1 with out Joel Embiid. The Celtics then got here again and evened the sequence with a 121-87 blow out win in Boston in Sport 2. The Celtics stored up the momentum as they beat the 76ers 114-102 because the sequence shifted to Philadelphia.
That is the twenty second assembly within the playoffs between these two Atlantic Division Rivals with the Celtics holding a 14-7 edge. That is greater than between every other two groups within the league. Philadelphia final beat the Celtics in a playoff sequence in 1982. That is the third playoff assembly between these two groups within the final 6 years. The Celtics beat the 76ers the Jap Convention Semifinals in 2018 in a Gents’s Sweep. They then swept the 76ers within the first spherical within the Bubble in 2020.
These two groups have performed 463 common season video games with the Celtics profitable 267 and the 76ers profitable 196. The Celtics are 154-56 all time in Boston within the common season. The Celtics and 76ers have performed a complete of 112 playoff video games towards one another. Of these, the Celtics have gained 64 whereas the 76ers have gained 48. The Celtics are 44-16 all time in playoff video games towards the 76ers performed in Boston.
Groups that win Sport 3 of a 1-1 best-of-seven sequence and go up 2-1 within the sequence go on to win the sequence 79.8% of the time.When a staff that’s 2-1 within the sequence wins Sport 4 to go up 3-1, they go on to win the sequence 95.4% of the time. When the sequence is tied 2-2, it could go both method. 76ers followers will be pleased that Doc Rivers can’t have a 3-1 lead. Doc has misplaced a complete of six playoff sequence after having gained a minimum of three video games and is the primary head coach in historical past to blow a 3-1 sequence lead 3 times.
League MVP Joel Embiid began Video games 2 and three and performed virtually 40 minutes in Sport 3 after lacking the primary sport of the sequence with a knee sprain. He’s as soon as once more listed on the damage listing as questionable however he’ll possible play. Marcus Sensible is as soon as once more on the damage listing for the Celtics with an ankle sprain. He has been coping with a chest contusion, a shoulder stinger and a lip laceration and has performed by means of all of them. I’m guessing that he’ll possible play on this one as effectively. Blake Griffin is listed as questionable with decrease again ache and Danilo Gallinari stays out with the ACL rehab.
Possible Celtics Starters
Celtics Reserves
Malcolm Brogdon
Grant Williams
Sam Hauser
Payton Pritchard
Luke Kornet
Blake Griffin
Mike Muscala
Robert Williams III
2 Means Gamers
JD Davison
Mfiondu Kabengele
Out/Accidents
Danilo Gallinari (ACL) out
Blake Griffin (again) questionable
Marcus Sensible (ankle) questonable
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Possible 76ers Starters
Sixers Reserves
Dewayne Dedmon
Montrezl Harrell
Danuel Home, Jr
Furkan Korkmaz
Jalen McDaniels
De’Anthony Melton
Shake Milton
Georges Niang
Jaden Springer
2 Means Gamers
Mac McClung
Louis King
Out/Accidents
Joel Embiid (knee) questionable
Head Coach
Doc Rivers
Key Matchups
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Al Horford
Photograph by Patrick McDermott/Getty Photos
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Joel Embiid
Photograph by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Photos
Al Horford vs Joel Embiid
With Embiid again within the beginning lineup, this turns into a key matchup. Embiid appeared a bit rusty in Sport 2, ending with 15 factors, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 5 blocks in 26 minutes. He shot 44.4% from the sector however missed each of the three pointers that he took. In Sport 3, he performed significantly better, ending with 30 factors, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 4 blocks in virtually 40 minutes. The Celtics have to proceed to make issues troublesome for him as he generally is a distinction maker if he’s allowed to realize confidence.
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Marcus Sensible
Photograph by Maddie Meyer/Getty Photos
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James Harden
Photograph by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Photos
Marcus Sensible vs James Harden
James Harden has had one very, excellent sport and two very unhealthy video games thus far. In Sport 1, Harden took over the sport and completed with 45 factors, 1 rebound, 6 assists and a pair of steals. He shot 56.7% from the sector and 50% from past the arc. In Sport 2, he completed with 12 factors, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists. He shot simply 14.3% from the sector and missed all 6 of his 3 pointers. Then in Sport 3, he completed with 16 factors, 6 rebounds, 11 assists and 1 steal. He shot simply 21.4% from the sector and 28.6% from past the arc. Jaylen Brown was the principle defender on him in Video games 2 and three and I wouldn’t be shocked to see this pairing once more on this sport.
Honorable Point out
Derrick White vs Tyrese Maxey
In Sport 1, Maxey completed with 26 factors, 1 rebound 2 assists and 4 steals. He shot 41.7% from the sector however simply 22.2% from past the arc. In Sport 2, he completed with 13 factors, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block. In Sport 3, he completed with 13 factors, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and a pair of blocks. The Celtics have to play him robust on this sport and restrict his scoring as soon as once more as if he features confidence, he can have an enormous sport.
Keys to the Sport
Protection – Protection will all the time be key to profitable each sport, particularly within the playoffs. The Celtics misplaced Sport 1 as a result of they did not play protection. They gained Video games 2 and three as a result of they restricted the 76ers with smothering protection. The Celtics made it to the Finals final season on the power of their protection however that protection has been lacking for a lot of this season. They lastly rediscovered their defensive id in Video games 2 and three and the Celtics have to come back into this sport with that very same defensive mindset. They must make protection their precedence for each possession of the sport as a result of that’s how they’re going to win.
Rebound – Rebounding is second to protection as a key to profitable. The Celtics are eighth within the playoffs with 44.3 rebounds per sport whereas the Sixers are tenth with 43.6 rebounds per sport. It takes effort to get rebounds and the Celtics should go all out of their effort to beat the Sixers on the boards. The Celtics have to hold the Sixers, who’re fifth within the playoffs with 16.4 second likelihood factors, from getting additional factors across the basket and they should give themselves additional possessions by rebounding on the offensive finish. If the Celtics need to win this one, it’s essential that they go all out to crash the boards.
Depth and Effort – In Sport 1, the Celtics lacked each depth and energy. They allowed the 76ers to play more durable than them. The Celtics have been hitting pictures -58.6% from the sector, however they slacked off on protection and the 76ers performed with way more effort on protection. In Video games 2 and three, they flipped the change and got here out able to play robust protection and to place out extra effort than the 76ers. They’ve to come back into this sport with the identical mindset that that they had within the final two video games and be aggressive and play with most effort.
Keep Targeted – The Celtics want to remain centered on taking part in the sport the appropriate method. The Celtics have to remain centered on taking and making good pictures and that features going to the basket if their 3’s aren’t falling. They must be centered on making the additional cross to search out the open man and one of the best shot. They must be centered on making crisp passes and never get sloppy as a result of the 76ers averaged 17.5 factors off turnovers within the first spherical and compelled 16 turnovers in Game1 for 20 factors. The Celtics did significantly better in Sport 2, turning the ball over simply 7 instances and 12 instances in Sport 3. They want that very same give attention to taking good care of the ball on this sport. The Celtics must hold their give attention to taking part in laborious and on taking part in the appropriate method. They need to keep centered on their defensive assignments and never permit the 76ers simple baskets.
X-Components
Teaching – Former Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who’s in his third yr because the Sixers coach, is without doubt one of the prime 15 coaches in NBA historical past. Joe Mazzulla is in his first season as a head coach, having been given the job only a couple weeks earlier than the season. Doc has been criticized for his lack of ability to get his groups out of the second spherical however he out-coached Joe Mazzulla in Sport 1. Mazzulla got here again in Video games 2 and three and made changes and the Celtics obtained the win in each video games. Doc will possible make changes going into the 4th sport and Mazzulla will must be able to match these.
Matinee Sport – This sport is a day sport, 43 hours after the top of their final sport. Will the early sport affect both staff? Will the short turnaround between video games have an effect on both staff. With Embiid simply getting his conditioning again after lacking time with the sprain, will the short turnaround have an effect on him, particularly as the sport goes on?
On the Street – The Celtics can be on the street and dealing with a really hostile crowd. Philly followers hate the Celtics as a result of they’ve just about owned them lately. They hate Al Horford as a result of he didn’t dwell as much as their expectations in Philly. They hate Jayson Tatum as a result of the Celtics took him with Philly’s choose after the 76ers traded as much as take Markelle Fultz. And, they hate Marcus Sensible, Malcolm Brogdon and Derrick White just because they’re good. There’ll possible be quite a lot of boos and the Celtics have to play by means of them. In addition they have to ignore the distractions of journey and resort dwelling, and an unfamiliar courtroom and simply exit and play Celtics basketball.
Officiating – Officiating is all the time an x-factor. Each crew calls the sport in a different way. Some name it tight and name each little bit of contact whereas others permit extra bodily play. Within the playoffs thus far they’ve been permitting extra bodily play. Some favor the house staff whereas others name either side evenly. The Celtics have to regulate to the way in which the refs are calling the sport and never permit the no calls and unhealthy calls to have an effect on their give attention to taking part in the sport. They particularly have to hold their poise and never complain to the refs on each name.