After such a disappointing series against the Atlanta Hawks, the Celtics returned to action on Monday night and laid an egg in crunch time against the Philadelphia 76ers.
All the credit to the 76ers for taking care of business in this game without Joel Embiid on the floor, and James Harden was absolutely electric from the opening tip and looked unstoppable from start to finish.
What was most disappointing was seeing a title favorite like the Celtics find a way to throw the game away in the closing minutes with turnovers and missed free throws and the most stagnant offense we have seen all season.
It makes game two a must-win situation for Boston, and the series is far from over. The good news for fans of the Celtics is that they were actually pretty good on the road this season and in last year’s playoffs. Losing home courts isn’t the end of the world.
Ahead of the action for game two, the Celtics are an overwhelming favorite at -9.5 over the 76ers on their home court.
Coasting with the game they needed to win in their back pocket
If you are a fan of the 76ers at all, then the confidence has to be beaming with a victory without Joel Embiid on the floor and Harden taking over.
Harden was able to score in just about every way possible, and usually, he is someone that relies on free throw shooting, and he only took four during the entire game.
It looks like Embiid is going to be missing his second straight game in a row for this series, as the 76ers are officially listing him as doubtful ahead of game time.
That means Harden will get a chance to continue his dominant scoring run against one of the best teams in the league.
Finding their purpose at the end of these games
During the first two rounds of this year’s playoffs, the Celtics have really been a team that can play well for three quarters but can’t finish.
It’s a shame, as this is certainly the most talented team that Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have ever been a part of, but they keep coming up short.
A statement win here to take the team back on track is going to have to come from the two leaders of the team.
They will certainly need to find a way to get the ball in their hands for crunch time possessions more than they did for game one.
76ers @ Celtics Betting Prediction
Another game goes by for another large spread for the Boston Celtics. They have been favored in every game they have played in so far this postseason, leading to mixed results.
If they lose this game at home again to the 76ers, they might as well kiss their season goodbye.
The attention to detail is going to be crucial, and the Celtics will be locked in to defend their home court again. Take Boston over Philly at -9.5.
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