Tatum, brown best 76ers
Hayward tweaks ankle late
They’ve been playing in important playoff games since they were rookies, so it’s probably only natural that Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown began their third and fourth playoffs, respectively, with a mind to taking charge.
And Monday night the Celtics needed every digit of Tatum’s 32- and Brown’s 29point performances — the former with 21 of his when the Celtics needed it in the first half, and the latter with a 15-point, three-trey fourth quarter.
The Celtics took a 1-0 series lead with a 109-101 win over Philadelphia, and for once Joel Embiid (26 points, 16 rebounds, 9-for-12 free throw shooting) wasn’t enough of a wrecking ball.
As expected, the Celtics were outscored in the paint, 46-36, didn’t get as badly outrebounded as on some other nights (they had 16 offensive boards to Philly’s 15), but couldn’t break away. They gave up an 11-point second quarter lead, trailed with 10 minutes left, and benefited from some big shots, also including a 14-point fourth quarter from Kemba Walker.
And to top it off Gordon Hayward left the court with 1:13 left, limping from a sprained right ankle.
“I mean, they made it tough. We knew that. They’re a tough team and have a lot of versatile guys on both ends of the ball,” said Tatum. “We just tried to figure out how they were playing, try to move the ball around and try to be aggressive knowing that it’s playoff time and we have to do everything we can to win.”
And, as expected, a great part of what they need is coming from a pair of young stars who can’t really still be called young.
“I don’t know if it’s experience, I don’t know if it’s the idea that they’ve been through it before,” said Brad Stevens. “I just know they’ve been doing it the whole time. So, like, I don’t think it has much to do with experience, it’s just about how they’re built.
“And those guys both make big plays, they both work really hard, they prepare for big moments,” said the Celtics coach. “They prepare on what they’re trying to do defensively and offensively, and they care about that, and that’s why they play well. But you’ve gotta keep doing it, gotta do it again. The next game, the next time the ball tips off, it doesn’t matter what your experience level is, it just matters that you play well.”
The young guys know how to dovetail their performances: Not saying that it happens intentionally, but Tatum and Brown often take turns picking this team up — Monday with Tatum doing the early work, and Brown the late. Often it’s the other way around. But both players find space for their work on a nightly basis.
“I can’t stress enough how important JB is and how special he is and how special we need him to be on a nightly basis,” said Tatum.
“He’s definitely capable and we know we just have to play off each other. We do different things out there so we’re just playing to our strengths and being aggressive in the offense.”
Embiid will remember this one: The Sixers big man played to his usual standard and his team still lost. The good news for the Celtics is that Daniel Theis (five fouls in 25 minutes), Enes Kanter (one foul in eight) and Rob Williams (four in 13) all managed to stay on the floor. Williams was used primarily in situations when Embiid was on the bench. Wednesday night he’ll take aim at this frontcourt again, with the Celtics sending as much help as possible from the wings to harass Embiid when he’s ready to put the ball on the floor.
“I think it’s tough, man. He’s a stud, he’s an unbelievable player and he’s huge,” Walker said of Embiid. “He just takes up so much space and he just knows how to use his body, knows how to get fouls, knows how to put the ball in the basket. It takes five guys to stop him and I thought we did a great job at times, with the digs and just keeping him on his toes. We’re going to do our best. That’s all you can really ask, to go out there and do your best, because he’s such a great player.”
Some attrition, some rebirth: First the tough news. Gordon Hayward sprained his right ankle with 1:13 left and headed to the locker room. His availability, at least in the short term, is anyone’s guess.
“Don’t know the severity but he’s clearly in pain and it looks like it had some swelling already,” Stevens later said.
On the other hand, Walker is bounding around like a summer camper.
“I felt super good,” said the Celtics point guard. “I said this last time — that it was the best I ever felt. But once again, this was the best that I’ve felt since I’ve been in this bubble. I’ve just been putting in work and continue to get my knee strengthened. So hopefully, it’s really all about tonight and tomorrow. I’m going to take care of myself and how I feel. So I’m just going to get off my feet, ice up and just get ready for the next one.”