1. Presently of yr, we speak loads about “survive and advance”. The Boston Celtics break up that into two components. They survived in Recreation 6 they usually superior in Recreation 7 in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers.
After a back-and-forth first half, Boston totally dominated the second half. By the halfway level of the third quarter, the sport was a laugher, and the social gathering was on in TD Backyard.
The Celtics don’t make something simple on themselves, however they do have a tendency to come back by greater than they don’t. They’ll must do it twice extra to comprehend the last word objective of the season.
Will the curler coaster proceed to be enjoyable, terrifying and exhilarating all of sudden? Sure. And on the finish, hopefully we’ll all be asking if we are able to do it once more.
2. These Takeaways are going to characteristic a whole lot of Jayson Tatum. Anybody anticipating any in a different way is more likely to be sorely disillusioned. Tatum was merely transcendent in Recreation 7. Listed here are the numbers:
51 factors on 17-of-28 capturing, together with 6-of-10 on three-pointers
13 rebounds (game-high)
5 assists (team-high)
2 steals
0 turnovers
Let these breathe for a second…you will have a fairly large smile in your face, don’t you? Let’s go over the way it occurred.
When Tatum hit Joel Embiid with the hesitation dribble early, it felt like we may be headed for a particular recreation:
When he dropped within the one-legged Dirk Nowitzki fadeaway, a particular recreation was undoubtedly inbound:
A few completely different occasions when issues bought sideways for Boston within the final two video games, they went to Tatum within the submit. Towards smaller gamers, this needs to be a weapon for Tatum:
When Tatum is feeling good, even a good defender like Tobias Harris has no probability:
Tatum was already having an excellent half, however when he hit this pullup, it was time to start out occupied with an all-time recreation. If the pullup is falling, there’s nothing you are able to do with him:
This shot in opposition to Joel Embiid on the finish of the primary was an indication of what was to come back after the break:
3. Within the second half, Jayson Tatum went soul-snatching and took the life out of the Sixers early. And he did it by mercilessly searching the MVP.
Boston got here out of the break trying to assault Joel Embiid. When Tatum blows by Embiid right here, and P.J. Tucker’s assistance is late, there’s nobody to guard the rim:
This time, Embiid bought again into the paint. No worries, Tatum takes it outdoors and works till he will get the side-step triple:
After the 76ers missed a shot following the timeout, Tatum labored to get Embiid once more. This time, it was a one-dribble pullup proper in Embiid’s face:
With Embiid defending from someplace within the higher Philadelphia space (this was a poorly performed zone most definitely), Tatum was free and clear to drag up off the Al Horford display:
Embiid is working on fumes right here. Philadelphia needs to arrange a lure, with Tobias Harris trailing over the display. However Tatum zips proper by Embiid earlier than the MVP may even set the angle for the double-team:
No dribble. 50-piece. Soul snatched. Sequence over:
4. As final yr’s playoffs wound down, groups began forcing Tatum to be a passer extra typically. He struggled with that position, and mentioned it was a focus of his offseason exercises.
Over the course of this common season and playoffs, Tatum appears to have figured a whole lot of that a part of the sport out.
This play got here after the flagrant foul was referred to as on James Harden for smacking Jaylen Brown within the face. Joe Mazzulla clearly took the evaluate time to attract up this set and Tatum delivered with the lob to Rob Williams:
A little bit later, Tatum drew two in pick-and-roll and left it for Williams to complete once more:
Tatum is now content material to attract double-teams on the perimeter now and to get the ball biking. That led to this discover from Al Horford to Jaylen Brown:
Tatum has additionally gotten fairly good at working the break because the passer. This can be a good job to drag the protection to him, earlier than zipping it to Malcolm Brogdon for the layup:
5. Jaylen Brown bought the Celtics going early, as is commonly the way it goes. Brown’s first bucket was a tone-setter in a way. He was faster to the ball than the Sixers and it bought him a layup:
Boston has gotten a ton of mileage out of Brown chopping out of the strongside nook, whereas Marcus Sensible finds him by the backdoor. Philadelphia has seen it a couple of occasions now and De’Anthony Melton did an excellent job blowing it up. The excellent news? Brown and Sensible simply flowed right into a DHO for a 3 as an alternative of forcing the back-cut play or totally resetting the motion:
After getting hit within the face, Brown was accomplished messing round. His on-ball protection on James Harden was terrific. What was actually thrilling was Brown stayed locked in off-ball, as properly. That led to performs like this:
6. The third quarter was the factor goals are product of for the Celtics. It was a throwback to final yr’s Boston group.
The 76ers scored simply 10 factors on 3-of-21 capturing. Boston additionally compelled six turnovers, together with a shot-clock violation.
Led by Jayson Tatum, the Celtics scored 33 factors on 11-of-19 capturing, together with 8-of-12 from behind the arc.
For all intents and functions, the sport was over after 36 minutes. Philadelphia by no means made one other actual run and seemed like they had been simply taking part in issues out over the ultimate 12 minutes.
Boston set the tone late within the first half after which they performed all the precise notes within the third quarter to ship the Sixers dwelling.
7. Al Horford did all the issues that make him a particular participant on this recreation. His protection in opposition to Joel Embiid all collection was stable (at worst), however exceptionally good in Recreation 7. Horford simply is aware of easy methods to make Embiid uncomfortable. Even when Embiid scores, he virtually all the time has to essentially work for it in opposition to Horford.
And Horford contributed on offense too. By now, you recognize we love big-to-big passing right here within the Takeaways:
Horford didn’t take many photographs, however this was a giant one. He sprinted the ground and bought to his spot earlier than Embiid might get again after which gave Boston the lead:
This play, greater than some other, was an indication of how arduous Horford makes Embiid work to get his photographs up. Early in video games, when the MVP has extra raise, he’ll hit a few of these. As the sport goes alongside, and Embiid tires, Horford pounces:
8. After a giant statistical Recreation 6, Marcus Sensible performed a bit extra of an understated Recreation 7. However he made two photographs, one late within the first half and one early within the second half, to form of hold the Celtics offense transferring round Jayson Tatum’s brilliance.
Tatum accepts the double-team right here and finds Sensible slipping out of the display. As a substitute of making an attempt one thing loopy, Sensible retains issues tremendous easy and takes the quick pullup to tie the sport:
After a Tobias Harris three tied the sport to open the second half, Sensible bailed Boston out with this late-clock fallaway. Philadelphia would by no means tie or lead once more:
9. File this one away for the Celtics within the Japanese Convention Finals and probably NBA Finals. The entire groups Boston might nonetheless play, from the Miami Warmth to the Denver Nuggets to the Los Angeles Lakers, combine in a good quantity of drop protection. Malcolm Brogdon’s pullup jumper goes to be a key weapon for the Celtics the remainder of the best way:
10. For the third time within the final 4 seasons, it’s Celtics vs Warmth within the Japanese Convention Finals. The primary matchup was within the bubble in 2020. The following one was only a yr in the past, with Miami holding homecourt benefit. This time round, Boston has homecourt benefit.
It feels poetic that Boston dispatched a rival with and MVP-level massive man by successful a Recreation 6 on the highway and a Recreation 7 dwelling blowout two years in a row. It feels simply as poetic that Miami is there ready within the East finals.
We’ll have much more to come back on this collection over the following couple of days. For now, let’s get pleasure from that we’re right here once more. It wasn’t a lock and it bought scary at occasions, however we’re right here.
Similar to a curler coaster, after the terrifying components, the enjoyable begins. And we’re all able to experience once more beginning on Wednesday.
