With no disrespect to New York and Miami, this poster between Boston And Philadelphia was clearly the most enticing and expected semi-final of the Eastern Conference, and in this this Game 1 did not disappoint, quite the contrary with an exceptional duel between James Harden and Jayson Tatum!
A priori unbalanced on paper, because of the absence of Joel Embid coast Sixers, this first game of the series actually turned out to be tighter than “expected”, between two teams that delivered a demonstration of skill (51% on shots for Philadelphia, 59% for Boston). Under the impetus, on both sides, of the large boxes of Jayson Tatum (39 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists) and above all James Harden (45 points and 6 assists).
The Philly leader, heroic without Joel Embiid, scored the decisive award-winning shot eight seconds from the end of the match, to crown a monumental score, the best of his career in the playoffs, on the offensive level!
The Sixers thus achieve the perfect shot: a victory away from the start without their best player, and having shown a very good level of play, moreover. We want six more games like this!
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– It was the “old-fashioned” James Harden. He explained, just yesterday, that he had willingly made sacrifices this season, especially on the pitch by becoming exclusively a “playmaker”, for the good of his team. A few hours later, without Joel Embiid, he offers himself a return to the past and knocks out the Boston defense by equaling the biggest offensive card of his career in the playoffs: 45 points at 17/30 on shots! It was the James Harden of Houston, this night at the TD Garden, this attacker with generational talent, concretely indefensible on the “pick-and-roll” and on the phases of isolation. An anthology match for “The Beard”.
– Boston lacked seriousness. Quite a lunar scenario for the Celtics: while they shot 59% (!) and their best player planted a double-double at 39 points and 11 rebounds, they still lost… The fault, above all , to a defense unworthy of a playoff semi-final match. Notably wide, where the Sixers scored 17 award-winning shots (!), in the face of fairly large largesse in the defense of the green house. In the “money-time”, Joe Mazzulla’s men were not convincing either, with the exception of an excellent Marcus Smart, in the oven and at the mill. No double take on James Harden in defense, no search for a “mismatch” in attack: the Celtics did everything backwards, in hot moments. And in the end, their huge attacking card is marred by a lack of effort and investment. A copy to review before Game 2, because the residents of TD Garden may have seen themselves too good too quickly, against a diminished team on paper.
TOPS & FLOPS
✅ De’Anthony Melton and Tyrese Maxey. Offensive solutions were rare for the Sixers when the ball left the hands of James Harden, but the substitute fullback was a reliable option in Game 1, with 17 points off the bench, including five award-winning shots. His defense in the perimeter was also invaluable, while Tyrese Maxey (26 points) was very good on both ends of the field, but hampered by fouls (5) throughout the match.
✅ Paul Reed. Sacred good match of the replacement of Joel Embid, obviously holder for the occasion. With his double-double to 10 points and 13 rebounds, including 4 decisive free throws in the last minute, he did indeed contribute brilliantly to the victory of his team, with great energy on the rebound and good placements in attack.
✅⛔️ Malcolm Brogdon. Classic evening for the best sixth man in the league, author of 20 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists off the bench, with the bonus of the best +/- of his team at +14. The (only) downside? He has the misfortune to lose an oh so important ball thirty seconds from the end. A loss of ball that turns into a basket against Tyrese Maxey’s attack. Cruel, as his match was otherwise irreproachable.
✅⛔️ Jayson Tatum. Card in 39/11/5 for “JT” at the start of this semi-final. However, he was too discreet in the fourth quarter, with only 4 shots attempted, for 5 points scored. This is the only criticism we can make of him, while on the other side James Harden planted 15 points (in 18 shots) in this last act… If he did not look for his “ticket shots” enough in endgame, it’s also collectively that the Celtics haven’t done a good enough job of finding him.
⛔️ Boston’s ball losses. Sixteen in total (6 for Marcus Smart alone), including 4 in the fourth quarter, for 20 points offered to the Sixers… The addition is salty, and adds to the poor defense of the Celtics throughout the game. The recipe for disaster, especially in the playoffs… Boston must move upmarket in Game 2.
THE FOLLOWING
– Game 2: on the night of Wednesday to Thursday (02:00), still in Boston.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D= defensive rebound; T = Total Bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Points = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
