The Philadelphia 76ers host the Boston Celtics for Game 6 on Thursday at 8:00 PM ET at the Xfinity Mobile Arena, with the 76ers hoping to force a Game 7 as they trail 3-2.
The 76ers pulled off a convincing 113-97 win over the Celtics in Game 5 to keep the series alive after falling behind 3-1 in the series.
The first step in a potential 3-1 comeback was executed with ease, as Joel Embiid led the way with 33 points, four rebounds, and eight assists. Star guard Tyrese Maxey put up 25 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block in a well-rounded performance. Paul George had a strong performance with 16 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, with Quentin Grimes coming off the bench with 18 points.
Jayson Tatum seems to have retaken control of the Celtics as their No. 1 option, putting up 24 points (8-19 FG), 16 rebounds, four assists, and three steals in the Game 5 loss. Jaylen Brown took more shots en route to 22 points (9-23 FG), five rebounds, and five assists. The only other Celtic to score in double digits was Payton Pritchard off the bench with 12 points and six assists.
The 76ers have no room for error, as the Celtics will hope to avoid a potential Game 7 in this series. This game might bring the best out of both franchises, but only one is playing with win-or-go-home stakes.
Injury Report
76ers
Joel Embiid: Probable (abdomen)
Celtics
N/A
Why The 76ers Have The Advantage
There is only one key to victory for the 76ers that they need to swing their way, and that’s three-point shooting. The 76ers won both games where they held the Celtics to under 30% shooting from three-point range. Boston went 13-50 (26.0 3P%) in their Game 2 loss to the 76ers before going 11-39 (28.2 3P%) in Game 5. If the 76ers can use their combination of wings like VJ Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Paul George to maintain pressure on the Celtics’ streaky shooters, they should have a great chance at winning Game 6 and extending this series to seven games.
The biggest advantage the 76ers can boast over the Celtics is the presence of an interior threat like Joel Embiid. The Celtics have a scrappy center rotation with Neemias Queta and Nikola Vucevic, but Embiid proved in Game 5 that there’s no stopping him. Even when Embiid realized his outside shot wasn’t falling (0-5 3P), he decided to dominate in the paint and mid-range, with the Celtics having no answer for him.
This is why the 76ers won Game 5 despite shooting 15-45 from three as a squad. Their Game 2 win was attributed to red-hot shooting (19-39 3P) by many, but Game 5 proved that they can find ways to beat the Celtics without relying on outlier shooting. The presence of Embiid in the paint and three-level scorers such as Maxey and George next to him gives the 76ers enough offensive versatility from their stars to ensure they always have multiple ways of attacking the Celtics.
If the 76ers can continue forcing the Celtics to turn the ball over and have clean and efficient possessions, they can keep pace with the Celtics’ offense. Regardless, their biggest chances of winning rely on their defense playing at a high-enough level to force the Celtics into another rough shooting night, like the ones that led to their losses in Games 2 and 5.
Why The Celtics Have The Advantage
The Celtics are demonstrably the better team in this matchup. They’ve out-rebounded the 76ers 238-196 over the series while also out-assisting (129-105) them. The team’s overall strength has been on display all season, and when they’ve excelled in this series, they’ve looked unbeatable.
One of the reasons they’re ahead right now is because of their reliable shooting. The Celtics shot 36.4% from three in Game 1, 42.6% in Game 3, and 45.3% in Game 4. Unfortunately, their shooting struggles have led to two losses, so maximizing their outside shooting advantage with a strong percentage will be integral in ensuring they can end this series in six games and advance to the next round.
The consistent performances of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have ensured that the Celtics stay within competitive distance of the 76ers in games in which the team is struggling. Tatum is averaging 24.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, 7.6 assists, and 1.4 steals, while Brown is averaging 25.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.0 blocks this series. Their production will be crucial in keeping the Celtics a step ahead of the 76ers, as they can make a huge difference even if they’re having inefficient shooting nights.
Embiid dominated in Game 5, so the Celtics must limit the production of the 32-year-old center, who’s coming off a major surgery, if they want to win Game 6. Instead of playing into Embiid’s game and having Queta or Vucevic guard him, the Celtics can use their talented rotation of young wings to disrupt the center’s rhythm every time he catches the ball. They have the pieces to limit Embiid’s production, and succeeding in that will invariably be the biggest advantage they can create outside their superior shooting and rebounding.
X-Factors
Paul George is playing at a high level in the third-option role he’s embraced on the 76ers. The 35-year-old forward is averaging 17.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists so far in this series, excelling as the team’s glue guy that can support Maxey and Embiid at a high-level. His strong playmaking and difference-making defense have been a crucial element in Philly’s competitiveness, and if George can turn back the clock and have a big game, the 76ers might be unstoppable.
Quentin Grimes’ Game 5 performance has created hope that the 76ers can rely on him as a bench scorer in Game 6 as well. Grimes is averaging 9.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists through the Playoffs so far, with the 25-year-old playing a rotational role for the 76ers. However, his shooting ability can cause major swings on the scoreline, which is why the 76ers will hope he can re-emerge as their x-factor after playing that role perfectly in their Game 5 win.
Derrick White is averaging 8.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists on 34.8 minutes per game through five games in this series, showing how much the Celtics rely on his presence on the court to be effective on both ends of the court. White will have to take the challenge of limiting the production of someone like Maxey while remaining a viable third option on offense. We’ve seen him thrive in this role before, so his performance could be the x-factor the Celtics need to ensure they can end the series in Game 6.
Neemias Queta might not have been the long-term center option the Celtics planned on anchoring their team, but he’s the one the team relied on the most in that role this season. He’s averaging 8.8 points and 7.4 rebounds through five games, and will need to play an effective role in limiting the production of Embiid. The Celtics have an option like Vucevic to add offensive polish, but their best bet at success comes from Queta having success defensively against Embiid.
Prediction
The 76ers are much better than their seeding would indicate, especially now with all core players healthy. They have the pieces to disrupt the Celtics’ effectiveness as outside shooters, which has been a game-winning difference in their only two wins. Despite that, we pick the Celtics to finish this series off in Game 6. They have proven to be more structurally sound overall and less reliant on Tatum or Brown’s success as isolation scorers. Outside shooting might play a huge role again, but the Celtics have proven they’re reliable enough to end a series when presented with a game like this.
Prediction: Celtics 121, 76ers 111
