NBA Highlights - NBA Playoffs 2023 - 76ers VS Boston
Box Score
Team | Field Goals | 3-Point FG's | Free Throws | Personal Foul | Total Rebounds | Offensive Rebounds | Turn overs | Point Off Turnovers | Fast Break Points | Points in the Paints |
76ers | 30/83 36.1% | 8/34 23.5% | 18/19 94.7% | 13 | 38 | 6 | 11 | 18 | 18 | 32 |
Boston | 33/78 42.3% | 15/35 42.9% | 14/16 87.5% | 14 | 50 | 6 | 17 | 11 | 24 | 36 |
#0 Jayson Tatum 19 pts, 6 ast, 9 reb
#36 Marcus Smart 22 pts, 7 ast, 7 reb
#7 Jaylen Brown 17pts, 4 ast, 6 reb
Game Highlight
NBA Highlights - Game Report
Boston managed to fend off Philadelphia, keeping their hopes of winning the series alive, and forcing a crucial Game 7.
The Boston Celtics have evened the series at 3-3 and forced a must-win Game 7 against the Philadelphia 76ers, following a hard-fought 95-86 victory in Game 6 on Thursday night. Although Boston took an early double-digit lead, they were unable to maintain it, as Philadelphia mounted a comeback in the second quarter and briefly took the lead in the fourth quarter.
The final 12 minutes of the game were lackluster, with both teams struggling to make shots and committing turnovers. However, Jayson Tatum's resurgence in the closing minutes proved pivotal, as he scored four 3-pointers to help the Celtics secure the win. The series will now return to Boston, where the teams will compete in a decisive Game 7.
Despite a bizarre performance by star player Jayson Tatum, who recorded 19 points, nine rebounds, and six assists on just 5-of-21 shooting, the Celtics received ample support from their teammates to stay competitive in the game. Marcus Smart played a significant role in this effort, contributing 22 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists to help keep the Celtics in the game until Tatum's late-game surge.
The Sixers had a poor offensive performance, shooting 36.1 percent from the field and making just 8 of 34 attempted 3-pointers, much like the Celtics in Game 5. As a result, they now face a challenging task of winning Game 7 on the road in Boston if they hope to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2001.
Here are some key takeaways from the game:
Jayson Tatum saves his reputation
Jayson Tatum had an impressive week, earning a fourth-place MVP finish and a second consecutive All-NBA First Team recognition. However, during Thursday night's game, Tatum struggled for the majority of the match, shooting only 1-of-14 from the field and risking his reputation with a poor performance in an elimination game. But with less than five minutes left in the game, Tatum suddenly transformed. He began by hitting a difficult 3-pointer over Joel Embiid in the corner, which gave the Celtics the lead and ultimately secured their victory. He then proceeded to sink three more 3-pointers in quick succession, solidifying the win and preserving both his own reputation and the Celtics' season.
Although Jayson Tatum ended up with 19 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, he had an unusual game, finishing just 5-of-21 from the field. While his impressive shooting during the game's final minutes showcased his superstar talent, his subpar performance for the majority of the game could have caused the Celtics to lose comfortably. Tatum's postgame press conference was also peculiar, as he began by humbly claiming to be one of the best basketball players in the world. Regardless, the most important thing was that Tatum and the Celtics were able to secure the win by any means necessary.
Marcus Smart steps up
Marcus Smart has had a controversial tenure with the Boston Celtics over the last decade, but on Thursday night, he played one of his most remarkable and crucial games of his career, helping to keep the Celtics' season alive. Smart's impressive performance earned him newfound support from fans in Boston.
As a veteran point guard, Smart scored a team-high 22 points on 8-of-15 from the field, while also recording seven rebounds, seven assists, and two steals in 42 minutes of play. His leadership and strategic plays on both offense and defense kept the team together during a tumultuous game. Smart's supportive presence was especially valuable, as Jayson Tatum struggled through one of the worst games of his career and the rest of the team seemed dispirited after losing a 16-point lead.
Smart prevented the team from falling apart by assisting Jaylen Brown and Robert Williams on consecutive baskets, keeping the Celtics within two points heading into the fourth quarter. During the final frame, he played the entire 12 minutes and contributed to five of the team's seven made field goals. Without Smart, the Celtics would not have been able to secure their victory.
The Philadelphia 76ers had a favorable chance to succeed but failed to take advantage of it.
The Sixers have not been to the Eastern Conference finals since 2001, and now they'll have to win a Game 7 on the road in Boston if they want to end that drought. They missed a golden opportunity to close out the Celtics and advance on Thursday, but could not get the job done down the stretch.
As expected, the Celtics punched first and built a double-digit first half lead. But the Sixers weathered the storm, got back into the game at halftime and surged in front heading into the fourth. All they needed was one strong quarter against a team that looked completely lost; instead, they shot 5-of-20 from the field and scored 13 points, and gave the game away.
The good news for the Sixers is they know they can win in Boston, having done so in both Game 1 and Game 5; the bad news is that historically teams do not win Game 7s on the road. In NBA history, the home team is 110-36 in those situations. They'll also have to get themselves back up emotionally after being so close to ending the series.
One thing's for certain: if they want to win on Sunday, they'll need James Harden to show up. He had 13 points on 4-of-16 from the field in Game 6, and for the series now has three games where he's shot 50 percent or better and three games where he's shot 25 percent or worse. You can probably figure out which games the Sixers won and which games they lost.
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