Friday night turned into a strange little preseason showcase in Boston, and the Celtics’ end of the roster made sure it still mattered.
Philadelphia came in with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, while Boston countered with its regulars after sitting most of them in Cleveland a few days earlier. Then the Celtics took the oddest turn of all and put out a starting five of Milos Uzan, Hayden Gray, Tucker DeVries, Gabe McGlothan, and Chris Cenac.
On paper, it was a mismatch. On the floor, Boston’s group competed like it had something to prove.
That was the surprise: the Celtics’ training-camp players stayed in it, and Philadelphia did not look especially interested in matching their energy. James was lollygagging up and down the court.
Embiid looked gassed. For long stretches, the Sixers played like a team that felt too good to be bothered by Boston’s younger group.
Boston didn’t give them an easy night. The Celtics’ guys attacked the glass, contested every offensive rebound and brought real physicality on drives, which sent Philadelphia’s stars to the free-throw line. It was a strong hustle effort from a group that will almost certainly end up in the G League this season, and it helped Boston close out the game with a win.
There were real takeaways mixed into the chaos. Boston’s defense kept generating turnovers the way it had in its previous two games, even without its stars on the floor, which showed the scheme can travel no matter who’s available.
McGlothan looked like a name to keep in mind in Maine. Cenac and Dillon Mitchell also played well, and Hugo Gonzalez stood out as a force, especially on offense.
Preseason is supposed to be a chance to learn something about a team and the players around the edges. But nights like this remind you how limited that can be.
Some guys just don’t engage unless they’re made to. Once the second and third quarters forced the issue, James and Embiid finally had to try.
Before that, they looked like they’d rather have been anywhere else.
James might as well have hopped on his helicopter at halftime to get a head start on his nightly travel. Unless he had an open lane for a highlight-reel play, James sat back and took the night off. Same with Embiid.
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Joel Embiid Just Gave Celtics Fans A Preseason Reason To Worry
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For Boston, it was the kind of early October flash that can linger in the back of your mind. Embiids performance suggested a renewed edge and a more aggressive version of himself heading into the season, which is the sort of development the Celtics would rather not have to think about this early, especially if it carries over once the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]