Curry right on target in return
PHILADELPHIA » Cleared to play for the Sixers Friday night against visiting Boston, Seth Curry immediately was hit with a playing-time limit by his head coach and father-in-law.
“Yeah,” Doc Rivers said. “It’s 48 minutes.”
Evidence that sports science is no longer considered infallible around the organization, yet obviously a bit whimsical, Rivers’ message was that he was glad to be back to a reasonably fullstrength roster.
After failing a COVID-19 test, observing the required isolation period and attempting to regain full playing shape, Curry had missed the previous seven games. Not that the Sixers were short on shooters in his absence, or that rookie Tyrese Maxey appeared out of place as a spot starter, but the veteran shooter was considered central to what Rivers had planned for his first Sixers season.
Through the first eight games, Curry was shooting a staggering 60.3 percent from the field and averaging 17 points. Along with Danny Green and a more role-defined Tobias Harris, the Sixers’ regular lineup was designed to be flush with shooters, thus maximizing the production of Joel Embiid.
By Friday, that unit was back together, with Curry supplying 15 points in 27 minutes on 6-for-10 shooting in a 122-110 victory.
“I could never shoot,” Rivers said. “But I guess, when a guy can shoot, he can shoot, and he can take 10 days off and still come out and make shots.”
Curry was delighted to be back.
“I’m excited,” he said. “I’ve been watching in isolation. I was watching a lot of games but not able to get in the action. The guys did a great job holding down the fort, especially the younger guys. Having to ramp up the minutes was kind of an unfair situation to them. But they did a good job.”
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After Embiid shot 17-for21 from the line Wednesday, Boston’s Marcus Smart complained that the Sixers’ center accentuates any contact in order to draw favorable whistles. Rivers found humor in that. “Well, I think Marcus is an expert at that, so he would definitely know if Jo was doing it,” he said, in a quasiplayful tone. “So that’s all I will say. I think you know that great actors know great actors. They always have.”
Embiid’s MVP candidacy continued to surge Friday as he collected 38 points and 11 assists, the Sixers sweeping the mini-series.
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Recently reluctant shooter Ben Simmons took 10 shots Friday, including seven in the fourth quarter, when he scored 11 points to help blunt a Boston rally. He finished with 15 points and 11 assists.
“Ben was huge at both ends,” Rivers said. “He does so many things for this team. He does a lot. You can’t focus on one thing, like scoring. For me, he’s too good for that. It would be a waste to focus on just that.”
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From any crisis, there is opportunity for growth.
As far as Brad Stevens is concerned, the two-game, one-city series tried this season as a hedge against a virus-spread is an idea worth
considering for the long term.
“As long as they let us out of the hotel at some point and walk around outside, I would say I am all for it,” the Celtics’ coach said. “I think it’s great. It makes so much more sense to stay in one city and not have to come back on separate occasions. It makes sense from a product standpoint and a performance standpoint, saving legs with reduced travel.
“I understand the challenges with national TV and
tickets. But I do think it is a plus.”
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NOTES » The Celtics played both ends of the series without star Jayson Tatum, who has been on a health-concern hiatus. Stevens had no updates Friday. … Mike Scott (swollen knee) was scratched. … Vincent Poirier missed his eighth consecutive game due to virus protocol restrictions. “He’s still working to pass protocol,” Rivers reported. “Hopefully he will be back soon.”