The Celtics didn’t waste much time turning Saturday night into a showcase at TD Garden.
Boston rolled past the Philadelphia 76ers, 144-106, in its second preseason game, and the tone was set early. The Celtics were without Devin Carter and Ron Harper Jr., but the bigger absences belonged to Philadelphia, which sat Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid. Even so, Boston’s stars showed up and made the most of the opportunity.
Jayson Tatum looked sharp from the opening minutes. He attacked the basket with conviction, took open driving lanes without hesitation, and paired that aggression with a smooth outside stroke.
The version of Tatum who looked a little cautious at times after returning from injury last season was nowhere to be found. This one played with confidence.
He finished with 23 points, five rebounds, and four assists while shooting 9-of-19 from the field and 4-of-10 from three.
Paul George didn’t have it going offensively, but his defense was exactly what Boston wanted to see. He was a constant problem for Philadelphia whenever he was on the floor, and the Celtics’ pressure around him helped fuel a night full of mistakes for the Sixers. George ended with five steals.
That pressure was on full display in the second quarter, when George and Sam Hauser helped make life miserable for Philadelphia. The Sixers were forced into hurried possessions and turnovers, and Boston kept feeding off that disruption.
Baylor Scheierman also got in on the action, collecting five steals of his own. Between George, Mitchell Robinson, and the Celtics’ young wing group, Boston looks poised to make ball pressure a real part of its identity this season.
Robinson’s night was a mixed bag. He controlled the offensive glass the way he has in the past, but he also looked a step slow at times, not quite matching the pace of Neemias Queta or even Luka Garza.
He finished with six points and five rebounds. It’s far too early to make any sweeping judgment, but it was noticeable.
Philadelphia tried to keep pace through VJ Edgecombe, who did his best to carry the scoring load. Tyrese Maxey, though, struggled, and the Sixers never found enough offense to hang with Boston.
The Celtics also had a little extra edge given the last time these teams met at TD Garden, when Philadelphia ended Boston’s season. It was only preseason, but this time the Celtics got the better of their rival and left no doubt about it.
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Tatum And Brown Reunion Reopened An Awkward Celtics Breakup
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown found themselves on opposite sides for the first time in a preseason game, a reunion that carried more tension than nostalgia for two players who spent years as the Celtics defining duo. The matchup came after Brown was dealt to the Philadelphia 76ers this summer, a move that reshaped Bostons long-running core and left plenty of questions about how the breakup came together.
Before the game, the two did not speak during warmups, a small detail that said plenty about the awkwardness surrounding the split. The Celtics have moved on to a new chapter, but the reason behind trading Brown still is not clear, and the status of his relationship with Tatum only adds to the intrigue whenever their paths cross again. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Are Already Sorting Out One Big Jayson Tatum Question
Jayson Tatum is expected to be right where the Celtics need him on opening night, anchoring a reshaped starting group as Boston sorts through the lineup combinations that fit best around him. With Paul George and Derrick White projected to join him, the early question is less about Tatums place and more about which supporting pieces help the Celtics make the most of a roster that has changed this season.
Boston has already begun testing those options in camp, using players such as Mitchell Robinson and Jordan Walsh to see how different looks function with Tatum as the focal point. The coaching staff is still evaluating what the best balance looks like, and the experiments so far have made clear that the final answer around Tatum is still very much being sorted out. [Read more 🡒]
Paul George Just Sent Celtics Fans A Clear Jayson Tatum Message
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George has made it clear he does not want the spotlight framed as a two-man race, and that matters for how this partnership could be judged in Boston. Rather than chasing the label of the guy, he wants to complement Tatum and help push him into a higher conversation, which tells Celtics fans a lot about the tone George wants to set before the season even starts. [Read more 🡒]