The matchup between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers has always been something intriguing brewing up for the fans. Both sets of passionate fan bases are set to clash in verbal disagreements between who comes out as the winner between the two. This would be the third playoff showdown between the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics where the latter has come as the winner in the last two meetings.
Talking about 2018, the NBA season Celtics were able to throw the sucker punch toward Sixers while knocking them down like a walk in the park. Two years later, when both outfits met again at the Walt Disney World Resort, the Celtics repeated the result by sweeping out the 76ers. Moreover, the Celtics have managed to show their dominance against the Sixers by winning the last three encounters by a comfortable margin. The only loss for the Celtics came without the contribution of Brown and Robert Williams III.
Table of Contents
Team Overview of Philadelphia 76ers and Celtics
Looking at the condition of both teams the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics would give you a close insight into their basketball showdown.
- Philadelphia 76ers
Key players
- Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid is considered the MVP of the Sixer’s defense, often regarded as impregnable by other teams. Joel Embiid stands as a dominant force while not letting anyone breach and score against him. Moreover, Joel Embiid protects the defense and goes inside to score crucial points while drawing fouls and helping the team get an advantage.
- Tobias Harris
Although the defense is sorted with the help of Joel Embiid, the forward line is taken care of by the versatile forward named Tobias Harris. He holds the ability to score from any angle within the court. Moreover, he provides a consistent scoring threat while helping the team continue its front-foot momentum.
- Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons is an all-rounder within the Sixers star-studded lineup. He is well-known for creating chances, breaking the opposition’s defense, and taking care of the defensive line. When it comes to transitional attacks, Ben Simmons is considered the best at his position.
- Boston Celtics
Key Players
- Jayson Tatum
Looking at the team of Boston Celtics, they have got a rising star within their line-up. Jayson Tatum is the leading scorer and playmaker for the Sixers in almost all the matches. His style of play is offensive, mainly because he takes the game onto the face of the opposition defense. Moreover, he can score anywhere on the court.
- Jaylen Brown
Yet another dynamic player that has helped the Sixers win a lot of matches is Jaylen Brown. He can change the game by showing athleticism, defensive skills, and long-range shooting from outside the box.
- Marcus Smart
Marcus Smart is a widely renowned player for the Boston Celtics for his excellent and calm head in defense. He is also the leader of the Boston Celtics, helping the team win matches with his ability as a deep playmaker.
Match Insight Preview
Although some key players on either side of the Celtics vs 76ers can make a huge difference. Both teams are known to have some style of play that could define the acceptable margins between the two.
- Batter between the interior and perimeter
Philadelphia 76ers are hugely popular due to their inside presence and Joel Embiid’s ability. Meanwhile, the Celtics Boston have a habit of scoring through the perimeter with the help of Tatum and Brown, who continue to excel in tight corners. This sure will be a basketball battle to watch that can provide a nail-biting encounter.
- Strong defensive lines
Being a basketball fan, you might have already heard the famous pronoun that defense wins titles. This is a crucial attribute on which both teams excel in different ways. Neither of them follows the same pattern, which could make them predictable. Philadelphia 76ers are well-known for their world-class rim protection, while the Boston Celtics have a strong perimeter presence, with Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown helping the team win its duels.
- Team depth and bench impact
Both the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics are known to have excellent team depth on their side. This helps them make a considerable impact when either team struggles to break the opposition’s defense. Therefore, predicting the outcome between Celtics vs 76ers is tricky.
Will Rotation play a key role in dictating the result?
Once garbage time is over, the Philadelphia 76ers are known to play their infamous nine-man Rotation. This is where Maxey, Harden, Tucker, Harris, and Embiid started, while Melton, Reed, McDaniels, and Niang came off the bench.
However, this Rotation might not work against the mighty Boston Celtics, who would bring their A-game to the court. Niang was the player who could have shown more hard work or his skills during the last match-up between the Celtics and 76ers.
Niang is said to have multiple defensive flaws in his game that have contributed to him spending most of the season on the bench. But Niang can show his true capabilities if he manages to take the game on his head. Nonetheless, the Celtics are known for having a solid rotation, which allows them to finish the game off after the end of garbage time.
Conclusion
For the Philadelphia 76ers, it would be Embiid whose physical abilities might come into question yet again. If he somehow feels any pain or gets compromised physically, it could jeopardize the whole match of the Sixers. They are said to rely heavily upon the firepower of Joel Embiid to deliver against every other team in this season.
The Boston Celtics have critical strengths, including a three-point shooting ability, elite wingers, and a strong defense line. This might be enough for them to exploit the weakness of the Sixers. Moreover, the team from Philadelphia has to be much better than they are this season.
Nevertheless, this match offers the fans a winner while not providing a dead draw to watch. But predicting a winner in this massive clash between two giants, given that the Celtics have a home advantage, would be too close to call.