3 takeaways from the Celtics' devastating loss to the Sixers in Eastern Conference Semis
The Celtics are suddenly scrambling after losing, 119-115, to a Philadelphia team that was without its top player.
Boston’s offense may have been red hot for most of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Monday, but listless defense and unforced errors allowed Philadelphia a chance to hang around. That, plus a 45-point performance from James Harden kept the game close right until the final horn.
The Sixers were without All-Star center Joel Embiid, who is dealing with a knee injury. His absence was sorely felt on both ends of the floor for Philly, and the Celtics capitalized with 66 points in the paint. (Embiid’s status for Game 2 remains unclear.) But Boston couldn’t get out of its own way. The Celtics coughed up 16 turnovers, resulting in 20 points for the Sixers.
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With the loss, Philadelphia has earned home-court advantage for the rest of the series, a devastating blow for a Boston team hungry to find redemption for last season’s transgressions. Here are three takeaways from the Celtics Game 1 loss.
Boston's offense
The Celtics came out with purpose, attacking a much smaller Philadelphia roster. Boston shot 17-for-20 from the field in the opening quarter alone, relentlessly attacking the rim. Boston’s 40 points in the paint in the first half were the highest mark in the entire NBA this season. The Celtics should have won the game handily.
Instead, unforced errors plagued Boston. Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown together combined for 10 turnovers, kneecapping any chance for the Celtics to capitalize on their hot shooting. In fact, Boston’s field-goal percent was 65%, the highest mark in a losing effort in NBA postseason history.
This is a familiar story for the Celtics, and represents a major barrier between the team and its ultimate goal. Boston may have the talent to go the distance, but turnovers and silly errors remain a major concern.
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Boston's defense
Boston’s defense left a lot to be desired for much of the game. The Celtics seemed especially challenged by Harden, who finished with a tidy 17-for-30 performance for his 45 points. Though the former MVP only had six assists, the amount of gravity he created for the Sixers is hard to overstate.
This was, perhaps, a self-inflicted wound. The Celtics often went under screens, granting Harden open looks from deep. Likewise, they double-teamed him quite often, something that radically changed Boston’s defensive calculus.
In the end, the Celtics were either unable or unwilling to make the right adjustment and neutralize Harden. A few explosive stretches from Tyrese Maxey and an efficient night from Tobias Harris were enough to keep the Sixers in the game while Boston self-destructed.
Looking ahead
Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals will be on Wednesday night in Boston. Embiid’s status is unknown, and remains the largest x-factor for the series.
Blowing Monday's game is certainly a hard pill to swallow for Celtics fans and players alike. Still, Boston has more depth than Philadelphia, meaning a long series should favor the guys in green. Likewise, the Celts had one of the best road records in the NBA this season.
In the end, it was about as frustrating a loss as you could imagine for Boston. How the Celtics respond will be quite revealing.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: The Boston Celtics' lose Game 1 of the semifinals to Philadelphia
