Paul George dropped a massive 36 points on his former team, leading the Boston Celtics to a decisive 123-101 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. George owned the spotlight in his return to Philadelphia, raining down shots in the first of four regular season clashes between these two clubs.
PG13 Took Over and the Celtics’ Depth Shined
George’s incredible 36-point performance was the headline, but the Celtics’ deep roster also put on an absolute show against the Sixers. Boston’s offense was firing on all cylinders, with an astonishing eight different players hitting at least one three-pointer. Not only that, three players,George himself, Payton Pritchard, and Sam Hauser,each sank at least four shots from beyond the arc. The Celtics’ starting five, featuring Derrick White, Jordan Walsh, Paul George, Jayson Tatum, and Neemias Queta, showed up completely healthy and ready to roll, making it tough for Philly’s crew, who were without Adem Bona and Dominick Barlow due to injuries.
George wasted no time setting the tone, opening the scoring with Boston’s first four points, clearly taking advantage of his matchup against VJ Edgecombe.
The First Battle of the Jays and Early Fireworks
This game marked the first time Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown faced off as opponents in the regular season, outside of the 2023 NBA All-Star Game, and we got our first glimpse of their head-to-head within the first three minutes. Tatum guarded Brown early on, flashing quick hands to force a turnover, then sprinting downcourt for an easy dunk before immediately following up with a cutting layup. Brown got his first points at the free-throw line about four minutes in, but it was Tyrese Maxey leading the charge for the Sixers early, pouring in eight of the team’s first 12 points.
Despite Maxey’s hot start, Boston held an 18-12 lead just five minutes into the game, shooting a scorching 8-10 from the floor to kick things off. Derrick White had a redemption moment midway through the first quarter, getting back in position after a turnover and drawing a charge on Brown, who was driving hard to the paint. The “Jays” then traded blows, with Tatum sinking a slick step-back three-pointer, immediately answered by a ferocious dunk from Brown. Celtics’ big man Mitchell Robinson battled Joel Embiid down low, grabbing three rebounds in less than five minutes, one of which led to a scrappy putback. However, Robinson later fouled Embiid on a three-point attempt with less than three minutes to go in the quarter, prompting Head Coach Joe Mazzulla to sub him out for Queta. Luckily, Embiid only converted one of three free throws, and Boston closed the quarter strong with a pair of layups to go up 30-21 with 26 seconds remaining.
This was just the first matchup of the season between these two powerhouse teams. Get ready for round two when the Celtics and 76ers meet again on January 21 at TD Garden.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Celtics Blog.
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