Celtics deal with 76ers in Recreation 2 to spoil Joel Embiid’s return and even collection

BOSTON — The Celtics walked off the court docket offended and pissed off after giving up home-court benefit of their series-opening loss to the 76ers.

Boston known as on these feelings — and its protection — to dominate in Recreation 2.

Jaylen Brown scored 25 factors and the Celtics rolled previous Philadelphia 121-87 on Wednesday evening, spoiling the return of latest league MVP Joel Embiid.

The Celtics tied the collection at one sport apiece because the Jap Convention semifinal collection shifts to Philadelphia for Recreation 3 on Friday.

“I believe we’ve simply acquired to take extra pleasure in ourselves. That’s it,” Brown mentioned. “I simply really feel like we underperformed final sport. We wished to come back out and play to the most effective of our capacity. And that’s what we did.”

Malcolm Brogdon added 23 factors, connecting on six of Boston’s 20 3-pointers. Derrick White and Marcus Sensible added 15 factors apiece. Jayson Tatum performed a lot of the sport in foul bother and was held to seven factors.

Boston ratcheted up its protection and restricted a 76ers crew that hit 17 3-pointers in its Recreation 1 win to simply 6 of 30 from past the arc on Wednesday. The Celtics led by as many as 36 factors within the fourth quarter.

Brogdon mentioned their cost now could be to keep up the identical mindset going ahead.

“It doesn’t imply something if there’s no carryover,” he mentioned.

Tobias Harris led the 76ers with 16 factors. Embiid completed with 15 factors, three rebounds and 5 blocks in his first sport again from a sprained proper knee that brought about him to overlook the ultimate sport of the 76ers’ first-round sweep of Brooklyn. He additionally sat out Philadelphia’s Recreation 1 win on Monday.

James Harden, who tied his postseason profession excessive with 45 factors in Recreation 1, missed all six 3-pointers and shot 2 for 14 total whereas ending with 12 factors and 10 rebounds.

Embiid’s return got here a day after being voted MVP for the primary time.

He was cleared to play by docs and coaching employees following a pregame, on-court exercise. That was after he did some gentle work throughout the 76ers’ morning shootaround.

Embiid mentioned he was advised it may take 4 to 6 weeks for his damage to heal and the chance to take a 2-0 lead finally made him need to play, even when there was rust.

“I felt fairly good to play and I felt like I may assist the crew,” he mentioned. “I really feel like I simply acquired this out the way in which. Dissatisfied by the loss. However that’s a step towards getting again to myself.”

Tatum picked up three fouls within the first half. He was known as for his fourth on the 7:34 mark of the third quarter when he knocked Harden to the ground whereas making an attempt to struggle via a display.

It pressured him to play rather less aggressively and helped Philadelphia lower what had been an 18-point Boston result in 73-60 with simply over 4 minutes to play within the third quarter.

However Tatum’s teammates picked up the slack, main the way in which because the Celtics closed the quarter on a 19-5 run to get it again as much as 92-65 coming into the fourth.

Embiid began slowly offensively, however with the 76ers struggling to make photographs from the skin, he made an virtually quick impression defensively.

First, he blocked an early shot by Sensible after which pressured White to regulate one other try. Embiid had 5 blocks his first 13 minutes of motion.

However his conditioning was noticeably missing as he lumbered into units at occasions. He performed simply shy of seven minutes within the first quarter earlier than getting his first relaxation. He returned for the ultimate 1:05 of the interval.

Embiid knocked down his first subject objective of the evening. a jumper over Grant Williams, with 21.4 seconds left earlier than tripping as he backpedaled again down the court docket. He rapidly rose to his toes. He completed the primary half with 13 factors, going 7 of 8 from the free throw line.

Brown mentioned they anticipate to reach in Philadelphia and face a 76ers crew motivated after dropping for the primary time this postseason.

“Hostile surroundings. Nevertheless it ought to be enjoyable,” he mentioned. “We must always all be excited to embrace that problem.”