By: Kylan Watson
After falling to the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night, the Philadelphia 76ers faced the Boston Celtics for the third time this season. After starting the game slowly both teams found their offensive rhythm and thanks to a fourth quarter explosion from Justin Edwards, Philly was able to beat Boston 102-100 to win their seventh game of the season.
The Sixers started this game off slowly but found their offensive rhythm as the game continued along and Tyrese Maxey (21 points), Quentin Grimes (18 points), and Andre Drummond (14 points) did all they could to keep Philly in this game. They combined for 53 of the Sixers 102 points and they had a double-digit lead over Boston.
Maxey continues to show an improved scoring prowess and an ability to create high-percentage shooting opportunities for his teammates that they were able to cash in on throughout this game. He will need to continue to do this especially if Joel Embiid misses a significant amount of time as he is out with some right knee soreness. Maxey and the rest of this team will need to continue to show that they can win without Embiid at least for the next week or so.
Despite the offensive explosion from Maxey, Grimes, and Drummond Boston weathered the storm and took the lead back in the third quarter. Which continues to be the weakest quarter for Philly, nobody knows what the third quarter plan is for each individual game, but it does not work because they fall apart in that period every time. The Sixers do not have consistent wing defenders right now. Paul George still has not hit the floor yet and without him they do not have anyone on the court who can consistently shut down the opposing team’s number one option. Boston took full advantage of this weakness, Jaylen Brown (24 points), Derrick White (18 points), and Anfernee Simons (17 points) combined for 59 of the Celtics 100 points. Brown found his offensive rhythm in the second half as the Sixers did not have any answers for what he was doing on the floor, they had to send double and triple teams at him to get the ball out of his hands. Once that happened the Celtics were still able to create high-percentage shots to put points on the board and were threatening to blow the Sixers off their home floor.
Early in the fourth quarter Philly needed someone to step up, and Justin Edwards stepped up big time. He scored 22 points in this game and hit five pivotal three-pointers in this contest, none bigger than one he hit late in the fourth quarter to put the Sixers ahead in this contest. He also was able to get a pivotal steal and dunk to stop Boston’s momentum. The Sixers do not win this game without his contribution and if he can continue to develop as a defender than he will be a key role player for Philly especially without George or Embiid on the floor. In addition, Philly came up with a pivotal defensive stop that blew up an attempt by the Celtics to tie up this game thanks to Drummond and multiple defensive plays by VJ Edgecombed who blocked a Jaylen Brown dunk attempt to keep points off the board, when they needed it most their defense showed up to seal this game for Philly. This may be the deepest team the Sixers have in the Embiid and Maxey era of the team and at least for this week their depth will be tested.
The Sixers will now get another few days off as they prepare to face the Detroit Pistons for the second time this season on Friday night. Philly will need to limit their turnovers, communicate on the defensive end, and continue to use their ball movement to create high-percentage shooting opportunities and take advantage of Detroit’s aggressive defensive scheme. Implementing these things into their game plan on Friday night should put them in great shape to win their eighth game of the season.
