For the second straight season, the Celtics might want to win a Sport 7 to advance to the Japanese Convention Finals to face the Miami Warmth. The 76ers received Sport 1 and the Celtics got here again to win Video games 2 and three. The 76ers then received Video games 4 and 5 and the Celtics got here again to win Sport 6 in Philadelphia. Residence courtroom has meant little or no to both staff on this collection. The 76ers received 2 video games in Boston and the Celtics received 2 video games in Philadelphia.
The Celtics have performed 35 Sport 7’s, which is probably the most of any franchise within the league. In these 35 Sport 7’s, the Celtics are 26-9. They’re 21-5 in Sport 7’s performed in Boston. The 76ers have performed in performed in 17 Sport 7’s over time and they’re 6-11 in these video games. They’re simply 1-9 in Sport 7’s performed on the highway. That one win was in 1982 in opposition to the Celtics on the Boston Backyard. That’s when the “Beat LA” chant was begun as Celtics followers beseeched the 76ers to beat the hated rival Lakers.
That is the ninth Sport 7 between the Celtics and 76ers. That’s the most between any two groups within the league. The Celtics are 6-2 within the earlier 8 video games between them. Whereas we will’t apply any success of groups previously to this present staff, we will have a look at this present Celtics staff and their expertise in Sport 7’s. The core of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Good are 4-1 in Sport 7’s. Jaylen Brown is 5-1 in Sport 7’s as he received one earlier than Jayson Tatum was drafted. Final season this Celtics’ staff received 2 Sport 7’s on their solution to the Finals.
The 76ers haven’t made it previous the 2nd spherical since 2001. Doc Rivers is 6-9 as a coach in Sport 7’s. He has misplaced 4 extra Sport 7’s than some other coach within the NBA. Doc can be 17-32 in potential closeout video games. Doc has misplaced 9 consecutive closeout video games in Spherical 2 of the playoffs, together with Sport 6 in Philadelphia on Thursday. Joel Embiid is 0-2 in Sport 7’s and James Harden is 3-2 in Sport 7’s. They haven’t performed in a Sport 7 collectively.
Doc is the one coach in NBA historical past to blow a 3-1 lead three totally different occasions. In 2003, he was the coach of the Orlando Magic and so they misplaced a collection to the Pistons after going up 3-1. In 2015, as a coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, he misplaced a collection to the Rockets that the Clippers had led 3-1. Lastly, in 2020, the Clippers misplaced a collection to Denver after main 3-1. Doc’s groups have additionally misplaced a collection after going up 3-2 3 times in 2009, 2010 and 2012.
Joel Embiid is now not on the 76ers harm record. He had missed Sport 1 with a knee sprain. He then was listed as questionable earlier than Video games 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Nonetheless, he performed in every of these video games, even eradicating the brace on his knee for Video games 5 and 6. The 76ers have nobody on the harm record right now. The Celtics have simply Danilo Gallinari who stays out as he rehabs from an ACL tear.
Possible Celtics Starters
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Celtics ReservesMalcolm BrogdonGrant WilliamsSam HauserPayton PritchardLuke KornetBlake GriffinMike MuscalaDerrick White
2 Method Gamers JD Davison Mfiondu Kabengele
Out/InjuriesDanilo Gallinari (ACL) out
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/InjuriesNone
Head Coach Doc Rivers
Key Matchups
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Robert Williams III vs Joel EmbiidAfter lacking the primary recreation, Embiid has improved with every recreation he has performed. In Sport 3, he completed with 30 factors, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 4 blocks in nearly 40 minutes and in Sport 4, he completed with 34 factors, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal in 46 minutes. In Sport 5, he had 33 factors, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 blocks. He shot 43.5% from the sector and 42.9% from past the arc. In Sport 6, with Robert Williams beginning, he completed with 26 factors, 10 rebounds, 1 help, 1 steal and three blocks. He shot 47.4% from the sector and was 0-2 on threes. I’m anticipating Robert Williams to start out as soon as once more, however we are going to see Al Horford nonetheless guarding Embiid as effectively.
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Marcus Good vs James HardenJames Harden has been up and down in video games to this point. In Sport 1, Harden took over the sport and completed with 45 factors, 1 rebound, 6 assists and a pair of steals. In Video games 2, he completed with 12 factors, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists. Then in Sport 3, he completed with 16 factors, 6 rebounds, 11 assists and 1 steal. In Sport 4, he was as soon as once more dominant, ending with 42 factors, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, 4 steals and 1 block. In Sport 5 he had 17 factors, 8 rebounds, 10 assists and a pair of steals. In Sport 6, he completed with 13 factors, 7 rebounds, 9 assists and three steals. The Celtics should as soon as once more deal with slowing him down and preserve him from having an enormous recreation.
Honorable Point out Jaylen Brown vs Tyrese MaxeyIn Sport 1, Maxey completed with 26 factors, 1 rebound 2 assists and 4 steals. 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 pair of blocks. In Sport 4, he had 14 factors, 8 rebounds, 1 assists, and 1 block. In Sport 5 he completed with 30 factors, 7 rebounds and three assists. In Sport 6, he had 26 factors, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and three steals. With the return of Robert Williams to the beginning lineup, Jaylen Brown will now be beginning at taking pictures guard and will probably be tasked with slowing Maxey down. The Celtics have to play him powerful on this recreation and restrict his scoring as soon as once more as if he positive aspects confidence, he can have an enormous recreation.
Keys to the Sport Protection – Protection will at all times be key to successful each recreation, particularly within the playoffs. Protection wins championships. The Celtics misplaced Sport 1 as a result of they didn’t play protection. They received Video games 2 and three as a result of they restricted the 76ers with smothering protection. As soon as once more in Sport 4 and 5 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 ultimate interval. The Celtics made it to the Finals final season on the energy of their protection however that protection has been very inconsistent this season. Their protection as soon as once more got here by means of in Sport 6 once they held the 76ers to 86 factors. The Celtics have to return 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’ll 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 preserve the Sixers, who’re fifth within the playoffs with 15.3 second probability factors per recreation, from getting further factors across the basket and they should give themselves further possessions by rebounding on the offensive finish. The 76ers out-rebounded the Celtics 49-36 within the Celtics’ Sport 5 loss however the Celtics got here again and out rebounded the 76ers 50-38 of their win in Sport 6. The Celtics can’t enable them to out work them on the boards on this recreation. If the Celtics wish to win this one, it’s essential that they go all out to crash the boards.
Depth and Effort – It’s Sport 7. Nobody ought to have to inform these guys to play with depth and most effort. In Sport 1, the Celtics lacked each depth and energy. They allowed the 76ers to play more durable than them. The Celtics had been hitting photographs -58.6% from the sector, however they slacked off on protection and the 76ers performed with far more effort on protection. In Video games 2 and three, they flipped the swap and got here out able to play powerful protection and to place out extra effort than the 76ers. In Video games 4 and 5 the shortage of effort was again. Then in Sport 6, we noticed the Celtics as soon as once more play with effort and depth. They’ve to return into this recreation with the identical mindset that they’d in Sport 6 and be aggressive and play with most effort.
Keep Centered – The Celtics want to remain targeted on enjoying the sport the suitable means. 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 must 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. In Sport 6, the Celtics had 18 turnovers and 14 of these had been 76ers steals. The Celtics have to be targeted on their ball dealing with and passing to keep away from these turnovers and steals. The Celtics must preserve their deal with enjoying arduous and on enjoying the suitable means. They need to keep targeted on their defensive assignments and never enable the 76ers straightforward baskets. They need to keep targeted for the complete 48 minutes and never lose focus down the stretch as they did in Sport 4.
X-Components Teaching – Former Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who’s in his third yr because the Sixers coach, is likely one of 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. Each coaches have made changes from recreation to recreation and each coaches have been out-coached in video games. Which coach will come out on prime on this one? Doc goes to wish to shed his repute as a choker within the playoffs and so will throw every little thing he has on the Celtics and Joe must be prepared.
Matinee Residence Sport – The Celtics had been a superb house staff throughout the season with a 32-9 document at house within the common season. Nonetheless, within the playoffs, they’re simply 7-9 over their final 16 house playoff video games. The 76ers are a superb highway staff, with a 25-16 document on the highway within the common season and 4 highway wins to this point within the playoffs, together with 2 video games in Boston already on this collection. Groups attempt to get house courtroom benefit for a motive 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. Additionally, that is an early recreation and the Celtics are 3-2 in video games that begin at 3:30 or earlier this season.
Officiating – Officiating is at all times an x-factor. Each crew calls the sport in a different way. Some name it tight and name each little bit of contact whereas others enable extra bodily play. Within the playoffs to this point 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 way in which the refs are calling the sport and never enable the no calls and dangerous calls to have an effect on their deal with enjoying the sport.
