The Celtics knew the 76ers would still pose a challenge even without Joel Embiid. They said they respected their second-round opponent even without their star big man and the likely MVP.
And yet, once again, they found a way to make life harder on themselves.
Game 1 did not go how the Celtics wanted, and it was another MVP who put them in a hole. James Harden scored 45 points in an electrifying performance – including the game-winning 3-pointer with seconds remaining – as the 76ers went into TD Garden and stole Game 1 with a 119-115 victory.
Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics and Al Horford #42 of the Boston Celtics high five during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
P.J. Tucker #17 of the Philadelphia 76ers tries to grab the ball from Grant Williams #12 of the Boston Celtics during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics stops James Harden #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
Sam Hauser #30 of the Boston Celtics and Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics rebound against Paul Reed #44 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
Malcolm Brogdon #13 of the Boston Celtics shoots above the heads of De’Anthony Melton #8 and Paul Reed #44 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics celebrates as he passes by P.J. Tucker #17 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics fouls during this play with Paul Reed #44 of the Philadelphia 76ers and Marcus Smart #36 allowing the 76ers to win 119-115 during Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
Jayson Tatum #0 and Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics double team Paul Reed #44 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the fourth quarter nof Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics goes down hurt during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics reacts to a foul during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics goes airborne over P.J. Tucker #17 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
Robert Williams III #44 and Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics rebound away from Paul Reed #44 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics reaches into James Harden #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics gets fouled by P.J. Tucker #17 of the Philadelphia 76ers as Paul Reed #44 looks on during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics tries to save the ball from going out of bounds during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
Al Horford #42 of the Boston Celtics keeps Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers from scoring during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics looses the ball in between Tyrese Maxey #0 and Jalen McDaniels #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
James Harden #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks over at Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics celebrating during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
Malcolm Brogdon #13 of the Boston Celtics tries to get past P.J. Tucker #17 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
The Boston Celtics Dancers perform during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics gets past P.J. Tucker #17 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
A member of the Boston Celtics Green Team is hurled into the air during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
Rapper Millyz watches the game from the sidelines during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) May 1, 2023
Jayson Tatum scored 39 points, Jaylen Brown added 23 points and Malcolm Brogdon scored 20, but they couldn’t overcome 16 turnovers – several of them coming in bad spots with the game on the line – or Harden’s 45 points, which included seven 3-pointers. It included a devastating step-back triple over Al Horford with 8.1 seconds remaining, which stunned and quieted the Garden crowd.
And even though they knew Embiid was out, and talked as a team about avoiding a mental letdown because of it, they couldn’t.
“As much as you don’t want to say it wasn’t a factor, I think it was,” Horford said. “We have to be better. We have to understand that we have to be able to play with whatever happens, whatever variables. But with our team, I’ve just seen it happen for us for whatever reason.”
The Celtics were not locked in on either end of the floor, even though they shot the ball well at 58.7 percent. The 76ers’ zone defense gave them fits, forcing them into several costly turnovers. Defensively, they couldn’t stop the shot-making of Harden, Tyrese Maxey, or even De’Anthony Melton, who hit five 3-pointers. Brogdon thought they doubled Harden too much. Joe Mazzulla took the blame for some poor coaching decisions.
Monday night served as a wake-up call. As much as the Celtics said the right things as they prepared for the Embiid-less Sixers, and as much as they thought they were prepared for how Philadelphia prepared without him, they still let their worst flaws overcome them.
“I don’t think there was a sense of urgency on the defensive end,” Horford said. “I know we shot well on offense, but that first half and even in the second half. We did defend better in the third, I’d say that. But that sense of urgency was not there consistently like it needed to be. …
“The game speaks for itself, and defensively we were not at the level we were supposed to be as a team, and we all have to look in the mirror with that and make sure that we have to be better for Game 2 on Wednesday.”
The game once again came down to poor late-game execution, as the Celtics gave away too many ill-timed turnovers, including two fateful ones in the final minute. The C’s led 113-112 when the 76ers forced them into what appeared to be a shot-clock violation with 32 seconds left. As the shot clock expired, Brogdon inexplicably threw a pass right to Maxey, who dribbled in for an easy breakaway, go-ahead layup. There was confusion on the floor, as the Celtics just stood there after the turnover, thinking the play was dead..
“We all thought it was a shot clock violation,” Tatum said.
The Celtics answered on the next play as Tatum was fouled and then made two go-ahead free throws. But then Harden made the shot of the night. After getting a switch from Smart to Horford, Harden stepped back and drained a 3-pointer to put the Sixers up two.
“Try to guard him as best as I could and he probably surprised me how quick he shot the ball,” Horford said. “I figured he would have tried to spend a little more time before going. But I felt like I was right there, contested.”
The Celtics called timeout but their next play went terribly wrong. Smart caught the inbounds pass and made a drive to the basket, and tried to find Tatum underneath. But there seemed to be a miscommunication as they lost the ball for Smart’s sixth turnover. Tatum had to commit a foul, and Paul Reed made both free throws to seal Philly’s victory.
“I thought he was going to shoot it and he was trying to pass it, so just a tough play at the end,” Tatum said.
The Celtics started out strong, shooting an absurd 73.7 percent at halftime. But somehow, after leading by 12, they only led by three at the break. Turnovers were mounting, they weren’t shooting enough 3-pointers – they only finished with 26 attempts from deep, far below their season average – as the 76ers forced them to become stagnant. And their defense started slipping.
Harden went into MVP mode, and his undermanned supporting cast didn’t let the Sixers go away. The Celtics went up five early in the fourth on a long Brown 3-pointer, but Harden engineered an 8-0 run in response. It included a ridiculous step-back 3 in the corner, and then another triple moments later.
The Sixers went punch for punch with the Celtics down the stretch. The C’s led by four with under two minutes to play when Maxey completed a three-point play. The Celtics couldn’t gain any separation, and then they crumbled.
“The last three or four minutes, we couldn’t get stops,” Brogdon said. “We were scoring, we were playing ahead by maybe two or three points but weren’t able to get stops. And for a team like that that doesn’t have Embiid, they want to keep the game close. They’re not even looking to get ahead or beat us by 20. They’re trying to keep it close so a guy like James Harden can close it out, which he did.”
And now, they’re staring at a 1-0 series hole. Brogdon said he isn’t concerned.
“But I do have a level of I guess awareness and we gotta be ready,” Brogdon said. “We gotta come out ready, we gotta come out and send a message next game. I really think that’s the key.”
