76ers hold off celtics 103-101 behind embiid’s 52 points
Photo by Matt Slocum/AP
PHILADELPHIA (PSF)- Joel Embiid’s 52 points in the win against the Boston Celtics last night actually wasn’t the most he has scored this season. He scored 59 on November 13th against the Jazz. However, it was the highest field goal percentage he has recorded this season at an astonishing 80 percent on 20-25 shooting. This was the first win for the 76ers against the Celtics this season, losing their previous three matchups. In the win, James Harden also contributed 20 points, 10 assists, and 5 rebounds.
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On the last possession of the game with the Celtics down two, Jayson Tatum ran to the right corner of the floor and shot a quick, contested mid-range jumper and missed it.
Embiid’s performance tonight definitely makes a strong case for him to win MVP this season; an award that many people think he should have received last season. The other MVP contenders are back-to-back winner Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
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For the Celtics, Jayson Tatum was rarely not the leading scorer in this game. Derrick White took that distinction, scoring 26 points along with 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks. Jaylen Brown did not play in this game due to a back injury. It’s been an injury riddled stretch for Brown recently. He’s had that facial contusion that has caused him to wear a protective black mask.
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The game was pretty close throughout. The Celtics’ largest lead was five and the 76ers largest lead was nine. No team really pulled away. Philadelphia shot 50 percent from the field and went 37.9 percent from three-point range, while Boston shot 41.8 percent and went 33.3 percent from three. The end result of this matchup could have gone differently if the Celtics made more of their free throws. They made 10 out of their 16 free throw attempts (62.5%) while the 76ers made 14 out of 16 (87.5%). In a close margin like this game had, free throws could have tipped the scales in the Celtics favor.
The Celtics have since clinched the #2 seed in the playoffs with a win against the Raptors tonight. The 76ers have clinched the #3 seed and the Bucks have clinched the #1 seed.
The Celtics next game is another matchup with the Raptors in Boston on Friday.
The 76ers next game is against the Heat tomorrow in Philadelphia.