The series is tied 1-1, heading into enemy territory, on a night when their best player is honored with the MVP award in front of a packed arena. The Boston Celtics can certainly expect a hostile environment when they take to the court for Game 3 of their second-round series against them. Philadelphia Seventy Sixers.
Still, they could revel in the fact that the Joel Embiid-less Sixers walked into the TD park and hijacked the series opener. So if Philadelphia can do it without their superstar, the entire Celtics roster (with the exception of Blake Griffin) can certainly return the favor.
But playoff games are not that simple. Both teams will have made adjustments, and their physical fitness will begin to increase. However, control of the series hangs in the balance, and as such, entering the game the Celtics must come with one thing on their minds: dominance. With that being said, let’s take a look at three things that could tip the game in Boston’s favor.
Continue to restrain James Harden.
Sitting in the visiting team’s locker room on May 1, prepping for Game 1 of the series between the Celtics and Sixers, James Harden reached into his briefcase and pulled out a blue water bottle. This bottle has no branding, no eye-catching color scheme. All it had was a gold sticker sticky in the middle, with the words “Michael’s Secret Stuff” hastily scrawled on it.
What followed was a throwback game for the ages as Harden and the Sixers left the Celtics shell in shock. However, the key part of Harden’s performance in that game was how the Sixers created space for him on the perimeter through the use of drag screens during the transition. So, as you’d expect, the Celtics tweaked their defense and limited the Sixers’ ability to set those early screens in Game 2 — of course, it helps when Embiid is on the ground and last on the field on every possession.
No matter how Boston did it, they were able to negate Harden’s influence and, in turn, restrict the Sixers’ creation to the ball, something they didn’t have much other than Tyrese Maxey and De’Anthony Melton. Finding a way to keep Harden in check will be an important factor in how the Celtics do justice in their next game. However, the move to set Jaylen Brown on him worked wonders, so perhaps we should expect to see more of that throughout Game 3.
Keep Jason Tatum grounded
Tatum’s Game 2 performance against the Sixers was bizarre. a single-digit scoring night and more time on the bench than on the court; Not exactly what you would expect for your franchise face. Give the Sixers credit, because they definitely have a game plan heading into the game.
Every time Tatum drives, the Sixers have had two players pinch in to close down space while also stepping up on his drive to take contact and an error. The result was a quick succession of whistles, and Tatum was back on his trusty gymbike while waiting for another crack in a defense designed to frustrate him rather than contain him.
With that being said, if the Celtics can find ways to generate some additional space for Tatum to work in, especially when looking for a drive, his presence on the field will be another thorn in the Sixers’ side – especially if he replicates the level of production we saw from him in Game 1. Joe Mazzulla had time to rewatch the game tape, so hopefully he and Tatum have a plan to avoid getting in nasty trouble early in the game.
Al Horford shooting
Al Horford finished the regular season among the top scorers in the NBA, but found himself slumping from deep in recent games. “That’s just part of it when you’re an elite shooter,” Horford said at a press conference on May 5.
Well, shoot away, Big Al, shoot away. Because, like it or not, size can create a great deal of scoring appeal, regardless of whether those shots land or not. Worry time is when Horford decides to ditch his open look rather than continue filming one night when he struggles to see them fall.
As the old saying goes, “Archers shoot,” and given Horford’s recent record from the depths, the ice will melt, and when that happens, there will probably be an avalanche devouring everyone who gets in its path. The question is, will this Avalanche come in Game Three or maybe Game Four? Because, if we’re being honest, there could be nothing more satisfying than seeing Horford go down a five or six three on the Domestic Sixers in front of a hometown crowd, a crowd that didn’t appreciate all that Horford brings to the table.
Final thoughts
Joel Embiid’s fitness level will play an important role in the outcome of Friday’s game. If the MVP looks like he did in Game Two, you can expect him to be neutral at best. However, if his conditioning improves and he feels more comfortable playing with his knee brace, things could get interesting.
However, like every 2023 postseason game so far, the Celtics go into this contest with the power to control their own destiny. If we see them play their trademark basketball, push the pace, and feel themselves on the defensive end, the Celtics should wake up on Saturday morning and be proud of their 2-1 series lead and win in their rival’s backyard. You know, just to the score.