The Boston Celtics handed the Philadelphia 76ers their first loss of the season and delivered a wire-to-wire reminder of their resilience, edging out a tense 109-108 victory to open NBA Cup play on Friday night. Jaylen Brown set the tone with a commanding 32 points, while Anfernee Simons added 19, and Boston’s balanced offense kept Philadelphia on its heels for much of the night.
Coming off a rocky 0-3 start to the season, the Celtics have suddenly found their rhythm, extending their win streak to three and earning a measure of revenge after dropping a one-point decision to Philadelphia on opening night. Boston’s early dominance created a 20-point first-half lead, but the Sixers, one of the league’s final unbeaten teams entering the night, refused to fade.
Tyrese Maxey, who finished with 26 points, fueled a furious second-half charge that erased the deficit and tied the game midway through the third quarter. Even with Joel Embiid limited to roughly 20 minutes as he continues recovering from offseason knee surgery, Philadelphia leaned on timely scoring from rookie VJ Edgecombe and a swarm of late-game defensive pressure to claw back into striking distance.
But when the game tightened, Boston managed to hold its nerve. Maxey’s driving layup with 20.8 seconds left pulled Philadelphia within one, and a Celtics turnover moments later opened the door for a potential Sixers steal. Instead, Maxey’s underhand scoop rolled off the rim, Josh Minott’s missed free throws left Boston vulnerable, and Embiid’s deep three at the horn sailed long, ending the Sixers’ perfect start and punctuating a chaotic final sequence. Let’s go through our instant analysis of this exciting Friday night matchup.
1. Jaylen Brown Set The Tone And Carried The Offense
Jaylen Brown was the engine behind Boston’s wire-to-wire performance, pouring in 32 points on an efficient 13-of-19 shooting night. His shot-making versatility, attacking downhill, and drilling four threes gave the Celtics a dependable scoring anchor whenever Philadelphia threatened to close the gap.
Brown didn’t just score in bursts; he sustained Boston’s offense through tough stretches, especially when the Sixers ramped up their defensive pressure in the second half. What made Brown’s performance stand out even more was his willingness to absorb responsibility beyond scoring.
With six assists and only one steal on the defensive end, he moved the ball decisively and kept Boston’s spacing intact even as Philly aggressively keyed in on him. His five turnovers were the lone blemish, but given Boston’s need for half-court creation, Brown’s workload justified the occasional miscue.
2. Bench Production Quietly Won Boston The Game
Boston’s bench didn’t produce fireworks in the scoring column, but it played a massive role in the Celtics controlling tempo and winning key stretches. Sam Hauser, Xavier Tillman, and Luka Garza combined for gritty rebounding, second-chance creation, and smart rotational defense, buoying Boston as the starters cycled in and out.
Their physicality helped Boston win the offensive rebounding battle 16-9, a decisive margin given the tight final score. Anfernee Simons was the headliner off the bench with 19 points, and while it took him 21 shots to get there, his aggression prevented Boston’s offense from stalling whenever Brown or White rested.
His +23 plus/minus was the best in the game, a strong indication that his on-ball pressure and shot creation helped Boston maintain control. Baylor Scheierman added a steady five points and another strong rebounding performance, giving Joe Mazzulla meaningful minutes from an expanding second unit.
3. Derrick White And Payton Pritchard Stabilized The Backcourt
Derrick White and Payton Pritchard combined for 30 points and 9 assists, giving Boston the backcourt steadiness needed against Tyrese Maxey’s relentless pace. White’s defense remains invaluable; two steals, a block, and constant pressure on ball-handlers helped slow Philadelphia’s transition pushes.
Offensively, he hit two big threes and made timely drives that prevented the Sixers from stacking defenders on Brown. Pritchard’s night was marked by energy, pace control, and shot-making.
His 7-of-17 shooting line undersells his impact, as he repeatedly bailed out stagnant possessions and pushed the ball after defensive rebounds to generate early-clock opportunities. His willingness to take nine threes, even with just one make, helped maintain Boston’s spacing and forced Philadelphia to defend the full width of the floor.
Together, White and Pritchard formed a reliable backcourt duo that dictated tempo far more often than the Sixers did.
4. Boston’s Defense Forced 18 Turnovers And Cashed Them In
While the Celtics didn’t shoot the ball particularly well, their defense compensated by forcing 18 Philadelphia turnovers. Those giveaways translated into 25 points, the clearest swing factor in a one-point win.
Boston’s constant digging at the ball, active hands on drives, and smart help defense made the Sixers uncomfortable, even during their strong third-quarter push. Individually, Neemias Queta and Xavier Tillman stood out as interior anchors.
Queta’s three blocks and physical rebounding helped Boston survive Embiid’s bursts of scoring, while Tillman’s mobility allowed the Celtics to contain pick-and-roll actions without over-rotating. Even when Boston’s offense went cold, the defense never collapsed, a promising sign for a team still reshaping its identity after early-season struggles.
5. Celtics Nearly Gave It Away Late But Survived The Crucial Final Possessions
For all the positives, Boston’s late-game execution nearly cost them the win. A turnover in the final seconds opened the door for Maxey to steal the game, and Josh Minott’s missed free throws made the closing sequence even more chaotic.
The Celtics were seconds away from a disastrous collapse, and the tense final moments highlighted areas: late-game spacing, inbound execution, and ball security, that remain works in progress. Still, surviving these situations matters for a team rebuilding its confidence.
Boston held firm on the final defensive possession, closing out hard on Embiid’s last-second three and avoiding the kind of over-help that leads to broken coverage. Close wins like this tend to reveal as much as blowout losses, and the Celtics can walk away encouraged that even on a night with plenty of flaws, they executed just enough in the game’s biggest moments.
