Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Put away those brooms: 76ers deny Celts’ sweep
T.J. McConnell turned a surprise start into the save of the season and Dario Saric scored 25 points to help the 76ers stave off postseason elimination with a 103-92 win over the Celtics on Monday night in Philadelphia in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The 76ers still face daunting odds heading into Game 5 on Wednesday: No NBA team has ever come back from 3-0 down to win a playoff series.
McConnell had a careerhigh 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists in only his second start of the season and meshed well in the backcourt with Ben Simmons. The crowd chanted “TJ! TJ!” each time he touched the ball in the fourth quarter, and McConnell proved why he has been so valuable even as bigger stars have sliced his playing time.
He was just what coach Brett Brown needed in a must-win game.
“I can tell you the Philadelphia 76ers’ spirit is just fine,” Brown said.
Simmons also scored 19 points for the 76ers to go along with 13 rebounds. Joel Embiid added his own double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds.
Brown was desperate to spark the 76ers and benched slumping forward Robert Covington (0-for-14 combined in Games 1 and 3) for McConnell, an undrafted third-year guard who started 68 games combined over the last two seasons and served as an example of the type of player on whom The Process was built.
Simmons’ emergence put McConnell on the bench, but he came through in a big way when the 76ers needed a lift. They were in control in what could be their last home game of the season.
An early start time gave the game more of an earlyseason feel until Embiid and Terry Rozier began pushing and shoving each other late in the first half.
Embiid tried to strip the ball from Rozier after the whistle. The Celtic tightened his grip and Embiid slapped at the ball again. Rozier then shoved Embiid in the chest with his right hand and the two quickly had to be separated.
Rozier and Embiid were hit with technicals. Then each hit a 3-pointer.
The Celtics’ Jaylen Brown and coach Brad Stevens were whistled for technicals late in the third quarter, and the Sixers capitalized with two free throws and an Embiid dunk that had rapper Meek Mill standing. Embiid chirped at Marcus Morris and the Celtics forward flashed a “3-0” with his hands.
Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 20 points and Morris had 17.