The Celtics tackle the 76ers in Philadelphia for Sport 4 of the Japanese 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 another 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 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 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 in opposition to one another. Of these, the Celtics have received 64 whereas the 76ers have received 48. The Celtics are 44-16 all time in playoff video games in opposition to 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 workforce 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 may well go both manner. 76ers followers will be comfortable that Doc Rivers can’t have a 3-1 lead. Doc has misplaced a complete of six playoff sequence after having received a minimum of three video games and is the primary head coach in historical past to blow a 3-1 sequence lead thrice.
League MVP Joel Embiid began Video games 2 and three and performed virtually 40 minutes in Sport 3 after lacking the primary recreation of the sequence with a knee sprain. He’s as soon as once more listed on the harm listing as questionable however he’ll doubtless play. Marcus Sensible is as soon as once more on the harm 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 via all of them. I’m guessing that he’ll doubtless 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
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Celtics ReservesMalcolm BrogdonGrant WilliamsSam HauserPayton PritchardLuke KornetBlake GriffinMike MuscalaRobert Williams III
2 Method Gamers JD Davison Mfiondu Kabengele
Out/InjuriesDanilo Gallinari (ACL) outBlake Griffin (again) questionableMarcus Sensible (ankle) questonable
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible 76ers Starters
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Sixers Reserves Dewayne Dedmon Montrezl HarrellDanuel Home, JrFurkan KorkmazJalen McDanielsDe’Anthony MeltonShake MiltonGeorges NiangJaden Springer
2 Method PlayersMac McClungLouis King
Out/InjuriesJoel Embiid (knee) questionable
Head Coach Doc Rivers
Key Matchups
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Al Horford vs Joel EmbiidWith 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 sphere 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 must proceed to make issues tough for him as he generally is a distinction maker if he’s allowed to realize confidence.
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Marcus Sensible vs James HardenJames Harden has had one very, excellent recreation and two very dangerous video games to date. In Sport 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 sphere 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 sphere 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 sphere and 28.6% from past the arc. Jaylen Brown was the primary defender on him in Video games 2 and three and I wouldn’t be shocked to see this pairing once more on this recreation.
Honorable Point out Derrick White vs Tyrese MaxeyIn Sport 1, Maxey completed with 26 factors, 1 rebound 2 assists and 4 steals. He shot 41.7% from the sphere 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 couple of blocks. The Celtics must play him robust on this recreation and restrict his scoring as soon as once more as if he features confidence, he can have a giant recreation.
Keys to the Sport Protection – Protection will all the time be key to profitable each recreation, particularly within the playoffs. The Celtics misplaced Sport 1 as a result of they did not play protection. They received 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 energy of their protection however that protection has been lacking for a lot of this season. They lastly rediscovered their defensive identification in Video games 2 and three and the Celtics have to come back into this recreation 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 will win.
Rebound – Rebounding is second to protection as a key to profitable. The Celtics are eighth within the playoffs with 44.3 rebounds per recreation whereas the Sixers are tenth with 43.6 rebounds per recreation. 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 must maintain 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 tougher than them. The Celtics have been hitting photographs -58.6% from the sphere, 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 recreation with the identical mindset that they’d 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 suitable manner. The Celtics have to remain centered on taking and making good photographs and that features going to the basket if their 3’s aren’t falling. They must be centered on making the additional move to seek out the open man and the perfect 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 deal with taking good care of the ball on this recreation. The Celtics must maintain their deal with taking part in laborious and on taking part in the suitable manner. They have 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 12 months because the Sixers coach, is among the high 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 bought the win in each video games. Doc will doubtless make changes going into the 4th recreation and Mazzulla will must be able to match these.
Matinee Sport – This recreation is a day recreation, 43 hours after the tip of their final recreation. Will the early recreation affect both workforce? Will the short turnaround between video games have an effect on both workforce. 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 will likely be on the highway and going through a really hostile crowd. Philly followers hate the Celtics as a result of they’ve just about owned them in recent times. They hate Al Horford as a result of he didn’t stay 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 doubtless be loads of boos and the Celtics must play via them. In addition they must ignore the distractions of journey and resort residing, 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 otherwise. Some name it tight and name each little bit of contact whereas others permit extra bodily play. Within the playoffs to date they’ve been permitting extra bodily play. Some favor the house workforce 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 dangerous calls to have an effect on their deal with taking part in the sport. They particularly must maintain their poise and never complain to the refs on each name.
