3 observations after Embiid torches Celtics for 52 in tight win originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Joel Embiid required a mere 25 field-goal attempts Tuesday night to post the fifth 50-point game of his career.
In a performance that can only boost his already strong MVP case, Embiid poured in 52 points on 20-for-25 shooting in a 103-101 Sixers win over the Celtics at Wells Fargo Center. Embiid also had 13 rebounds, six assists and two blocks.
Jayson Tatum missed a baseline jumper on Boston’s final possession. He was the Celtics’ No. 2 scorer with 19 points. Derrick White had 26.
The Sixers’ win was their 52nd with three regular-season games left. It clinched a top-three seed in the Eastern Conference.
On the first night of a back-to-back for the Celtics, Jaylen Brown, Robert Williams III, Payton Pritchard and Danilo Gallinari were out with injuries.
The Sixers will play their final home game of the regular season Thursday night against the Heat. Here are observations on Tuesday’s win and Embiid’s sensational outing:
Embiid owns the first
The Celtics opened with Grant Williams on Embiid and the Sixers were happy to target that matchup, feeding their All-Star center often at the elbow.
Embiid was sharp early, showing a keen sense for when help defenders were about to swarm. He got fouled on one turnaround jumper, made another, and also scored over Williams in the post. With a nimble step-through move and layup, Embiid gave the Sixers a 12-5 lead. He scored 18 of the Sixers’ 28 points in the first quarter, hitting 6 of 7 field goals and 6 of 7 free throws. Embiid also made an impressive dish to Jalen McDaniels for a corner three that displayed his body control and array of options even when he’s driving hard downhill or in the middle of a move.
Unlike Sunday night in Milwaukee, the Sixers’ opponent had a cold shooting start; Boston began 1 for 9 from the field and 0 for 5 from three-point range. However, the Sixers eventually paid for a few defensive miscues and the Celtics looked more threatening in transition. They took a 19-18 edge on a Malcolm Brogdon pull-up three.
The Sixers ultimately did not let Embiid’s exceptional 12 minutes go to waste. Boston struggled to score in a lineup with Tatum and four second-unit players, Embiid made an off-balance, and-one layup, and the Sixers led by six points after a period.
Lack of supporting offense
Almost everything for the Sixers’ offense ran through Harden and Embiid in the first half.
They combined to post 39 of the Sixers’ 53 points before intermission, as well as seven of their nine assists.
The Sixers’ supporting cast had a shakier start. The Celtics scored the second quarter’s first seven points, capitalizing on a couple of Harden misses. Paul Reed’s hustle was again a positive, although he squandered a transition layup chance. Still, the Sixers got five points following two Reed offensive rebounds, and the 23-year-old also impressively rejected a Brogdon jumper. With Reed on the floor, there’s far less reason to be concerned about a switch-everything defensive approach than with the typical backup big man.
Tyrese Maxey started the evening sporting a red headband, although he soon ditched it. The new look didn’t improve Maxey’s fortunes against Boston. A 1-for-6 first half dropped Maxey to 8 for his last 30 from the floor vs. the Celtics. Early in the third quarter, Maxey pump faked a three and then got whistled for an offensive foul in his attempt to find a good look off the dribble.
Within the first six minutes of the third, Tobias Harris missed two threes and two layups. Regardless of the opposition, it’s clearly important for the Sixers in the playoffs to have Harris not hesitating on open three-point looks and chipping in when defenses force the ball from the Sixers’ stars’ hands.
Embiid had answer after answer when Boston came close to overtaking the Sixers in the third. His mid-range jumpers were money and he consistently picked the right spots to fire it. Still, it’s quite difficult to build a meaningful lead when nearly everyone else is misfiring. Georges Niang got a decent shot following a double team on Embiid late in the third, but he missed it to fall to 0 for 3 from the floor. De’Anthony Melton went 0 for 4.
Despite all of that, just having Embiid on the court is sometimes sufficient. After the Celtics cut their deficit to 68-67, he drove in for a ferocious slam on Luke Kornet. A Jalen McDaniels block and an end-of-quarter Danuel House Jr. stop on Brogdon helped the Sixers keep their lead entering the fourth.
Tucker time
The Sixers’ advantage didn’t last long.
Again, the Sixers’ lineup of Harden and four bench players had a rough stint. Boston snagged a 77-74 advantage on threes from White and Brogdon, leading Sixers head coach Doc Rivers to call timeout.
Harris subbed in for Niang and McDaniels nailed an after-timeout three, but the Sixers still appeared extremely reliant on Embiid’s greatness to win. They ended a bad possession with Harden facing a double team and getting his jumper blocked by White as the shot clock expired.
Embiid came back in and promptly sunk two jumpers, tying the score at 81 apiece. Even when tightly contested, he was truly automatic from around the foul line.
While Embiid seemed capable of doing everything he wanted, it was inevitable that he’d occasionally need to give up the ball. When he did, P.J. Tucker delivered.
Tucker drained two clutch threes from the left corner and one from the right. Until Friday’s win over the Raptors, Tucker hadn’t made more than two threes in a game all season. He’s now done it in consecutive home games. Every one was massive Tuesday night in ensuring that Embiid’s incredible performance came in a victory.
The Sixers were very far from flawless in the final seconds, though. After Tucker conceded a three to White, Embiid was called for an offensive foul on the ensuing inbounds play. The Sixers were relieved to reach the finish line.