3 things to watch in Celtics-76ers Game 3

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The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers have a wealthy postseason historical past and, for many years, stood as one of many league’s authentic rivalries. It was one with epic performances and finishes, particularly in the Eighties, when their playoff sequence usually despatched the eventual NBA champion to the NBA Finals.

Fast ahead to at this time, and there is a scent of a rivalry brewing once more, if solely as a result of their first-round series is tied at one recreation every and suspense has entered the constructing.

The Sixers have the following two video games in Philly and may have an emotional enhance. Expect all of the old-time legends (like Allen Iverson and Julius Erving) to sit courtside and supply motivation.

However, Iverson and Erving cannot swimsuit up and play for the Sixers. It’s up to the present gamers missing in championship expertise to hold the sequence transferring in a optimistic path. That will not be a easy activity in opposition to a workforce that is more healthy, bringing greater expectations and championship mettle with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

Whether this sequence elevates in phrases of intrigue and depth, due to this fact, falls on the shoulders of the Sixers and whether or not they can both keep the house courtroom or a minimum of break up the following two video games.

Here’s what to watch for Game 3 tonight ((*3*)) in Philadelphia:

1. What is Maxey’s mindset?

The following assertion is to be taken in context and is not meant to provide a comparability. Now that it is understood, right here it goes — the final time the Sixers have been led in the playoffs by a quicksilver level guard who induced whiplash and broke ankles and was powerful to include was Iverson.

The newest drawback for different groups is Tyrese Maxey, who can shift gears off the dribble and alter instructions on a dime and rating on anybody the Celtics provide up in protection. Sometimes two Celtics.

How Maxey craves the ball in huge moments is one thing to behold. He was all the time a taking pictures guard trapped in some extent guard’s physique, though in his case, that is not such a nasty factor. If Maxey has the desire, the Sixers may discover a approach to win greater than a recreation in opposition to Boston, and Maxey undoubtedly has the desire.

The playoffs have a approach of exposing you for the participant you really are, with each recreation and sometimes each possession magnified together with the calls for. Some gamers gravitate towards this, whereas others regress.

Maxey’s taking pictures hasn’t all the time been sharp in this sequence, however he would not enable the misses to discourage him. As the Sixers proceed with out Joel Embiid, Maxey cannot afford to lose confidence.

2. Embiid’s standing for Game 3

The elephant in the room, metaphorically talking, after all, is the previous Kia MVP and Sixers beginning heart. He can change a complete recreation or perhaps even a best-of-seven sequence, however is at present inactive due to harm. The identification of that individual is not very onerous to know.

This has been Embiid’s profession, for probably the most half. His video games performed and video games missed, if positioned on reverse ends of a scale, would present a fair stability. This season, he performed simply 38 video games.

But the longer the Sixers stretch this sequence, the extra the chance — nothing sure, however nonetheless — that Embiid, upgraded as uncertain for Game 3, might heal up in time to see motion.

The last item the Sixers will do is rush their huge man again from an emergency appendectomy, which I suffered on April 9. He has entered the following part of his rehab, however hasn’t achieved any contact drills. That means it is secure to assume he is extra possible not to play than to play, which implies extra Adem Bona and Andre Drummond in the submit.

But Sixers followers can dream. If in some way this sequence is harder than anybody imagined and Embiid, who averaged 26.9 factors and seven.7 rebounds per recreation, finds a approach to swimsuit up…nicely, let’s simply pencil that in for the occasion of your complete playoffs.

3. Brown prepared to take over?

The one fixed for the Celtics, not solely in this sequence however all season, is Jaylen Brown and his excessive stage of efficiency. He’s averaging 31 ppg in the playoffs and is the one Celtics participant hitting his 3-pointers (at 50%). All this comes on the heels of a Kia MVP-flavored common season the place he carried the Celtics for stretches and completed among the many league’s high scorers and rebounding guards.

His subsequent journey, if it turns into needed, is to carry the Celtics by this sequence, particularly if the 3-pointers do not fall for his teammates and the Sixers in some way get juiced by two house video games.

Speaking of the house courtroom, the Celtics are usually not pushovers on the highway. Only Detroit, San Antonio and Oklahoma City have been higher in hostile arenas. And once more, this was with out Tatum for probably the most half.

Brown enjoys being one of many league’s high gamers, an ascent that started along with his efficiency in the 2024 NBA Finalsand he intends to hold his place in line. The greatest approach is to be the best participant on the ground, beginning with this sequence.

In that sense, thus far anyway, it is Brown vs. Maxey. Who would be the final participant standing on the finish?

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Shaun Powell has coated the NBA since 1985. You can e-mail him at spowell@nba.comdiscover his archive here and follow him on.