With the collection tied at 2 video games every, the venue shifts again to Boston. These two groups cut up the primary two video games in Boston with the 76ers successful 119-115 in Boston in Recreation 1 with out Joel Embiid. The Celtics then got here again and evened the collection with a 121-87 blow out win in Boston in Recreation 2. The Celtics saved up the momentum as they beat the 76ers 114-102 because the collection shifted to Philadelphia. However then, in Recreation 4, the Celtics slipped once more and the 76ers gained 116-115 in extra time.
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 collection in 1982. That is the third playoff assembly between these two groups within the final 6 years. The Celtics beat the 76ers the Japanese 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 successful 267 and the 76ers successful 196. The Celtics are 154-56 all time in Boston within the common season. The Celtics and 76ers have performed a complete of 113 playoff video games towards one another. Of these, the Celtics have gained 64 whereas the 76ers have gained 49. The Celtics are 44-16 all time in playoff video games towards the 76ers performed in Boston.
It is a essential recreation as a result of the winner takes management of the collection and is only one win away from transferring on to the following spherical. The Celtics have to win to maintain house courtroom benefit that they fought for within the common season. If the 76ers win, they will as soon as once more wrest house courtroom from the Celtics and may shut the collection out in Recreation 6 on their very own courtroom. Groups that win Recreation 5 of a 7 recreation collection that’s tied at 2-2 go on to win the collection 84.1% of the time.
League MVP Joel Embiid began Video games 2 and three and performed nearly 40 minutes in Recreation 3 after lacking the primary recreation of the collection with a knee sprain. He performed 46 minutes in Recreation 4 however he’s as soon as once more listed on the harm checklist as questionable for this recreation. I anticipate that he’ll play. Marcus Sensible has been questionable for the previous 3 video games with a chest contusion, sprained ankle, and shoulder stinger and has performed by means of all of those accidents. He isn’t on the harm checklist at the moment. Danilo Gallinari stays out.
Possible Celtics Starters
Celtics Reserves
Malcolm Brogdon
Grant Williams
Sam Hauser
Payton Pritchard
Luke Kornet
Blake Griffin
Mike Muscala
Robert Williams III
2 Approach Gamers
JD Davison
Mfiondu Kabengele
Out/Accidents
Danilo Gallinari (ACL) out
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 Approach 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
Embiid appeared a bit rusty in Recreation 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. However he has improved with every recreation he has performed. In Recreation 3, he completed with 30 factors, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 4 blocks in nearly 40 minutes and in Recreation 4, he completed with 34 factors, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal in 46 minutes. He additionally shot 15 free throws. The Celtics have 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 two very, superb video games and two very unhealthy video games to date. In Recreation 1, Harden took over the sport and completed with 45 factors, 1 rebound, 6 assists and a couple of steals. He shot 56.7% from the sector and 50% from past the arc. In Video games 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 Recreation 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. In Recreation 4, he was as soon as once more dominant, ending with 42 factors, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, 4 steals and 1 block. He shot 69.6% from the sector and 66.7% from past the arc. The Celtics should as soon as once more deal with slowing him down and maintain him from having one other large recreation.
Honorable Point out
Derrick White vs Tyrese Maxey
In Recreation 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 Recreation 2, he completed with 13 factors, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block. In Recreation 3, he completed with 13 factors, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and a couple of blocks. In Recreation 4, he had 14 factors, 8 rebounds, 1 assists, and 1 block. The Celtics have to play him robust on this recreation and restrict his scoring as soon as once more as if he positive aspects confidence, he can have a giant recreation.
Keys to the Recreation
Protection – Protection will at all times be key to successful each recreation, particularly within the playoffs. Protection wins championships. The Celtics misplaced Recreation 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. As soon as once more in Recreation 4, the protection was inconsistent. The Celtics allowed 92 factors within the 1st 3 quarters however then lastly clamped down on protection within the 4th quarter and restricted them to fifteen factors within the last interval. 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 within the 4th quarter of Recreation 4. The Celtics have to come back into this recreation with that very same defensive mindset. They need to make protection their precedence for each possession of the sport as a result of that’s how they will win.
Rebound – Rebounding is second to protection as a key to successful. 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 maintain the Sixers, who’re 4th within the playoffs with 16.5 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.
Keep Targeted – The Celtics want to remain targeted on enjoying the sport the precise manner. The Celtics have to remain targeted on taking and making good photographs and that features going to the basket if their 3’s aren’t falling. They need to be targeted on making crisp passes and never get sloppy as a result of the 76ers averaged 17.5 factors off turnovers within the first spherical. The Celtics need to maintain their deal with enjoying arduous and on enjoying the precise manner. They have to keep targeted on their defensive assignments and never enable the 76ers straightforward baskets. The Celtics led Recreation 4 by 5 factors with 2:04 to play however then misplaced focus and made a number of errors within the last 2 minutes of the sport and within the last minute of extra time. They have to keep targeted on making the precise play and on enjoying the precise manner.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics should be the extra aggressive staff. They need to play with effort and depth. They need to be extra aggressive in going for unfastened balls, rebounding, defending, taking the ball to the basket, and in each facet of the sport. They need to play with extra effort and play just like the staff that desires it extra. When the Celtics have misplaced on this collection, it was as a result of the 76ers have been extra aggressive and performed more durable than them. They should be extra aggressive from the opening tip till the ultimate buzzer, not simply within the 4th quarter.
X-Components
Teaching – Former Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who’s in his third 12 months because the Sixers coach, is among 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 Video games 1 and 4. Mazzulla had the sting in Video games 2 and three and made changes in each video games. A lot was made from Mazzulla’s lack of time outs on the finish of Recreation 4 and lots of consider that price the Celtics the win. Which coach will make the precise strikes on this recreation to assist his staff to the win.
House Recreation – The Celtics have been a superb house staff all season, regardless of dropping Recreation 5 within the first spherical at house to the Hawks and Recreation 1 towards the 76ers. The 76ers are a superb street staff, with a 25-16 report on the street within the common season and 3-1 report to date within the playoffs. Groups try to get house courtroom benefit for a purpose and the Celtics have to reap the benefits of having the gang behind them and being on their house courtroom. Hopefully the 76ers are distracted by the journey, lodge keep, and hostile crowd.
Officiating – Officiating is at all times an x-factor. Each crew calls the sport in another way. Some name it tight and name each little bit of contact whereas others enable extra bodily play. Within the playoffs to date 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 best way the refs are calling the sport and never enable the no calls and unhealthy calls to have an effect on their deal with enjoying the sport. Doc Rivers ranted a couple of push off within the last minutes of Recreation 4 however the Final 2 Minutes report mentioned it was an accurate no name. It will likely be attention-grabbing to see if this influences the calls on this recreation.