3 observations after Melton exits early, Harris struggles once more, Sixers fall to C’s initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Philadelphia
BOSTON — The Celtics pulled away late and notched a ninth consecutive win Tuesday evening at TD Backyard.
Although the Sixers made issues fascinating, they in the end didn’t look to be in the identical class.
Boston improved to 46-12 this season with a 117-99 victory. The Sixers dropped to 33-25.
Jaylen Brown scored 31 factors on 11-for-14 taking pictures. Jayson Tatum posted 29 factors and Kristaps Porzingis tallied 23.
Tyrese Maxey’s 32 factors led the Sixers.
Joel Embiid (left knee meniscus process), Robert Covington (left knee bone bruise) and KJ Martin (proper ankle impingement) remained out. Martin stated Tuesday morning that he suffered his damage when he leaped for a chase-down block and landed on his heel. He stated he’d been feeling a bit higher the previous few days.
The Sixers additionally dominated De’Anthony Melton out within the third quarter due to again spasms. Tuesday’s recreation was Melton’s third following a long-term absence due to a lumbar backbone damage.
“We’re definitely involved that it’s the identical factor as a result of we’ve taken lots of day without work attempting to get it in a greater place,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse stated postgame. “However I haven’t actually gotten a report on that but.”
The Sixers will host the Hornets on Friday evening. Listed here are observations on their loss in Boston:
A small-ball spark
Buddy Hield helped the Sixers keep away from one other sluggish begin by sinking two fast three-pointers. Maxey zoomed in for a layup that gave the workforce an 11-4 edge.
The Celtics instantly snapped into a better gear, responding with a 12-0 run. Jrue Vacation capped it with a fast-break layup after Derrick White ripped the ball from Tobias Harris.
The sport deviated from a typical script late within the first quarter when Nicolas Batum assumed a small-ball middle function for the second straight recreation over Mo Bamba. Nurse used a frontcourt of Batum and 6-foot-6 rookie Ricky Council IV in opposition to the 7-foot-3 Porzingis and Al Horford. It didn’t take lengthy for each large males to use the scale mismatch and convert layups.
Nevertheless, the Sixers’ offense was a significant plus. They obtained driving layups from Kyle Lowry and Maxey. Council added a tricky banked-in bucket.
With that unit starting to cook dinner, Nurse waved Maxey up the ground like an enthusiastic third-base coach and watched him rating an and-one hoop. A put-back Council jam tied the competition at 30-all with 7.6 seconds left within the first quarter.
The Sixers managed to play briskly and drive sharply throughout that stint whereas committing zero first-quarter turnovers. Any small-ball look entails danger and requires offensive sharpness, however the Sixers’ exhibiting Tuesday evening was encouraging.
Bamba did finally enter as properly and posted 10 factors and 6 rebounds. Paul Reed had a down evening and was scoreless in 14 minutes.
“We didn’t begin Batum tonight as a result of we had been going to make use of him type of because the backup 5,” Nurse stated. “That was a very good spark by these guys, clearly. We thought we had a matchup with (Luke) Kornet in there to deliver Mo in and simply check out that lineup.
“He did some first rate issues. He definitely made a pair photographs and was defending the rim fairly good whereas he was in there, too. So it was a very good stretch for him.”
Harris’ struggles nonetheless evident
Harris went 3 for 11 from the ground within the first half, which is what he’d shot Sunday when the Sixers misplaced to the Bucks.
He had unconvincing leaners blocked and noticed mid-range jumpers fall brief. Usually, the 31-year-old ahead lacked pressure and decisiveness on each ends of the ground. At any time when he fell barely behind a play, Harris didn’t present a lot potential to search out one other workable angle, burst into the image, or in any other case combat again.
Harris hasn’t cited the left hip damage that sidelined him for 2 video games earlier this month as problematic and he has not appeared on the Sixers’ damage experiences. Nonetheless, his play of late implies that it stays legitimate to maintain noting that considerably current damage context. The plain backside line is the Sixers want his stage to extend significantly.
To open the third quarter, Harris failed to complete inside via contact and had a nook three go out and in. He is shot 17 for 53 (32.1 %) for the reason that All-Star break.
Once more, Harris wasn’t the one Sixer to wrestle. Kelly Oubre Jr. additionally had a poor taking pictures evening, hitting simply 1 of 6 discipline objectives. Hield scored no factors after these two early triples.
“We’ve obtained to get them some extra drive-and-kick alternatives, some extra open photographs after we can collapse the paint,” Maxey stated. “Buddy and K9, they’re two assured guys, so that they’ll shoot the ball properly sooner or later.”
Sixers waste sturdy nights from Maxey and Council
Leaning closely on Maxey, the Sixers entered intermission going through a 53-51 deficit. Boston stretched its lead additional by scoring the primary 11 factors of the third quarter.
Maxey performed an aggressive, wise, often sensational recreation because the Sixers’ high possibility. He labored via physicality properly and seemingly saved the Sixers churning on his personal at occasions.
The primary-time All-Star put up 24 discipline objectives Tuesday and displayed the attacking mindset Nurse needs to see with Embiid out.
“Early within the 12 months I used that variety of 20 photographs for him,” Nurse stated pregame. “That’s when Joel was taking part in, so it stands to cause that quantity ought to go up somewhat bit when there’s all of Joel’s photographs to be distributed. We knew this could be a piece in progress for him to be taught to level guard, be taught precisely how to do this. However once more, I preserve saying err on the facet of aggressiveness.”
Council’s effort and power shined, too. He and Cameron Payne (13 factors in 16 minutes) had been key to the Sixers’ run early within the fourth quarter.
Over 19 minutes, Council recorded 16 factors on 6-for-8 taking pictures and 4 rebounds. Each this outing and Council’s constantly high-energy, no-fear strategy ought to complement his case for steadier minutes transferring ahead.
“Simply realizing what I do,” Council stated. “They haven’t actually requested something completely different of me. Play arduous, offensive rebound, defensive rebound, play protection, lower. I don’t suppose that’s going to vary this 12 months. Perhaps subsequent 12 months an even bigger function will current itself, however I’m completely satisfied doing my function. … I’m not tripping about having the ball in my fingers. I’m simply doing no matter I can to assist my workforce win.”
Council was stellar in Boston, however the Sixers wanted extra optimistic performances (and fewer clunkers) to beat the Jap Convention’s high workforce with out Embiid.
