Tag: 2023 nba playoffs second round

Tatum and Celtics force Game 7, grab improbable 95-86 Game 6 win in Philly

Jayson Tatum exploded in the fourth quarter, erasing an icy shooting night and forcing a Game 7 this Sunday in Boston.

The Boston Celtics have extended their season with a 95-86 Game 6 victory on the road against the Philadelphia 76ers. The action swings back to Boston one last time, with a huge Game 7 slated for Sunday and a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals on the line.

Jayson Tatum, who struggled mightily for much of the night, exploded in the fourth quarter, perhaps saving the Celtics from an early offseason. After an icy shooting night, he poured in four pivotal 3-pointers in the final frame to keep Boston ahead. Just one day removed from earning All-NBA honors, Tatum proved himself worthy of the moment, early shooting woes notwithstanding.

The Celtics led by 16 points at one point before a cold stretch in the third quarter gave the Sixers a window. From there, Boston looked poised to implode. With just enough defensive grit, however, the Celtics hung tough, providing an opportunity for Tatum to swoop in and force a Game 7. Here’s what you missed from Boston’s Game 6 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

PHOTOS – Boston at Philadelphia: Celtics survive 95-86, force Game 7 at home

Let’s take a look at some of the best plays captured in images from the Celtics’ Game 6 vs. the 76ers in the second round of the ’23 playoffs.

The Boston Celtics needed to win Game 6 of their series with the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night, and they took the floor with a double-big lineup that clearly came to play with the requisite intensity of an elimination game.

Boston built an early lead as large as 16 despite an ice-cold 0-of-10 first half for Jayson Tatum (19 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists), but Philly charged back and almost took it before Tatum got hot from 3 late. Massive games from Marcus Smart (22 points, 7 boards, 7 assists), Jaylen Brown (17 points, 6 rebounds), Malcolm Brogdon (16 points, 6 boards), and Robert Williams III (10 points, 9 rebounds) got the Celtics the win, setting up a decisive Game 7 in Boston this Sunday.

Let’s take a look at some of the best plays captured in images from the Celtics’ Game 6 vs. the 76ers in the second round of the ’23 playoffs.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

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YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers: How to watch, broadcast, lineups (Game 6)

Will they find a way to come back from the brink as they did almost exactly a year earlier against the Milwaukee Bucks? Or will their offseason and the questions that come with it be their fate?

The Boston Celtics find themselves in a win or go home for the summer situation in Game 6 against the host Philadelphia 76ers in the 2023 Eastern Conference semifinals.

Will they find a way to come back from the brink as they did almost exactly a year earlier against the Milwaukee Bucks? Or will their offseason and the questions that come with it arrive weeks earlier than expected?

If you happen to be looking for a way to watch the on-court action live on cable television or a local or national online streaming service, keep reading while we get you up to speed on everything else you need to know about the game.

Let’s begin with the players available to play.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst on the Boston Celtics’ season being on the brink

Why are the Celtics back in this position despite promises of growth?

In an interview with ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt, NBA analyst Brian Windhorst discussed the Boston Celtics’ brutal Game 5 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday evening.

The two analysts highlighted the major difference between this year’s Celtics and the roster they put on the floor in 2021-22.

Windhorst noted this year’s team relies heavily on 3-point shooting and lacks the same defensive prowess as last year’s team, which was the No. 2 defense in the 2022 NBA playoffs. Additionally, Windhorst pointed out that Celtics’ coach Joe Mazzulla has a different coaching philosophy, which has changed how the team plays considerably.

The ESPN analyst also acknowledged the team’s margin for error is smaller this year, and that their loss in Game 5 was particularly hurtful because of the losses in Games 1 and 4.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear what the pair had to say about Boston’s season being on the brink.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Celtics Marcus Smart on what Boston needs to do to win in Game 6

‘You’ve got to be able to risk it all for these games,’ said Smart.

What does it take to win in the situation the Boston Celtics have put themselves in against the Philadelphia 76ers? According to Marcus Smart in an exclusive interview with Heavy’s Steve Bulpett, it is a willingness to get one’s hands dirty.

“It’s a true dogfight, scratching and clawing, biting, blood, everything,” explained the Flower Mound native.

“(I)f you’re not willing to pretty much get dirty, if you’re not willing to bleed, (i)f you’re not willing to break something, if you’re not willing to tear something going hard, then you shouldn’t be on that court because that’s what it is.

“That’s what the playoffs are about. (H)opefully you stay safe, but that’s the mentality you (have to) go (with).”

“You’ve got to be able to risk it all for these games. And that’s the mentality we’ve got to have,” the former Oklahoma State standout said.

The Celtics know what they need to do to win, and they know how they went astray in Game 5 and more generally. But the question is whether Boston is going to risk it all in Game 6.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Who gets the blame for the Boston Celtics’ Game 5 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers?

With their season on the line and the Sixers pushing them to the brink of elimination, what needs to change for the Celtics to turn it around in Game 6?

After their failed comeback and narrow loss in Game 4, the Boston Celtics all but imploded in a critical contest that was Game 5 at TD Garden on Tuesday. The Philadelphia 76ers beat them, 115-103, to take a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal.

With the Sixers pushing them to the brink of elimination, what needs to change for the Celtics in Game 6? Why is there a disconnect between the players and the coaching staff? Who is to blame for the sudden playoff collapse?

Join the hosts of the CLNS Media “Garden Report” podcast, Bobby Manning and Josue Pavon, as they search for answers.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear what the duo had to say about the Celtics’ Game 5 flop.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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‘There’s no secret answer’ to Boston’s postseason woes, says Jayson Tatum after Celtics’ Game 5 loss

“(We’ll) go out there and play how we know we are capable of and we’ll see,” suggested Tatum of Game 6.

After another disappointing outing for the Boston Celtics in a key postseason tilt, the media asked Jayson Tatum why the Celtics played so poorly in a game where the stakes were so high.

“I think we were a little tight today,” he replied, stating the obvious.

The St. Louis native continued, saying the team needs to “go out there and relax and obviously play hard … (and) compete on both ends and play the right way,” as he recycled usual post-loss platitudes without much in the way of conviction.

“There’s no secret answer,” he added in a moment of honesty.

This team is what it is, and if they move the ball, touch the paint, and hit their 3-point shots, no one can stop them. But if an opposing team can junk up any part of that process — or the Celtics do it to themselves — they are and will remain an eminently beatable team.

“(We’ll) go out there and play how we know we are capable of and we’ll see,” suggested Tatum for what the Celtics’ response for Game 6, the team’s season on the line.

One way or another, we will see.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Celtics Lab 189: Venting about Boston’s Game 5 loss to Philly, being unready for the moment yet again

Will the team be able to win two games in a row to avoid their season ending?

The Boston Celtics dropped a critical Game 5 of their 2023 Eastern Conference semifinals series with the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night by coming out with low defensive intensity and poor ball movement.

The loss gave fans flashbacks of the 2022 postseason when Boston put its  backs against the wall against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Can the team win two games in a row to avoid their season ending? Can they get their act together before it is too late? Or is this iteration of the Celtics doomed to repeat history and end the season in disappointment as another opportunity to hang a banner passes?

In a slightly unhinged episode of the CLNS Media “Celtics Lab” podcast, your usual hosts vent their frustrations at being back yet again in the same situation that has plagued this team for ages as well as taking the pulse of the locker room postgame.

We also get caught up on the rest of the teams still playing in the 2023 NBA Playoffs and team news since we last podded.

The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Fan Duel and Better Help.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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PHOTOS – Philadelphia at Boston: Celtics flop again, lose Game 5 115-103

Let’s take a look at some of the best plays captured in images from the Celtics’ Game 5 vs. the 76ers in the second round of the ’23 playoffs.

Game 5 of the Boston Celtics 2023 Eastern Conference semifinals series with the Philadelphia 76ers was for all intents and purposes a Game 1 in a best-of-three series after the Sixers knotted up the second round with an overtime win in Game 4 of the series. The Celtics didn’t understand the urgency yet again, playing a team accepting a loss almost from the opening minutes of the contest.

A slow start from Jayson Tatum (36 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists) coupled with lackluster effort on defense for most of the game set Boston up to lose, and Al Horford (0 points, 5 boards, 4 assists) going 0-of-7 from 3 compounded things for the Celtics.

Jaylen Brown (24 points, 6 rebounds) and Marcus Smart (14 points) made solid showings as well, but this is the sort of game that should make Boston consider whether they really want to bring this group back next season. Which may come sooner than for some teams left in the playoffs with Boston now down 3-2 in the series.

Let’s take a look at some of the best plays captured in images from the Celtics’ Game 5 vs. the 76ers in the second round of the ’23 playoffs.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Celtics drop Game 5 in ugly fashion, fall to 76ers, 115-103

The Celtics now face a must-win situation Thursday night in Philadelphia following a bitter 115-103 Game 5 loss.

The Boston Celtics dropped Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Tuesday, falling 115-103 to the Philadelphia 76ers. Now on the wrong side of a 3-2 series split, Boston looks to extend its season on the road Thursday night. Otherwise, it will suffer an early postseason exit.

The Sixers had it going on early with Joel Embiid leading the way. The reigning MVP finished with 33 points and 7 rebounds. Right behind him was James Harden, who once again picked apart the Celtics’ defense with 17 points, 8 rebounds and 10 assists. The plucky Tyrese Maxey contributed 30 points and 7 rebounds.

The Sixers were fully dialed in and fully in control from the jump, while Boston spun its tires on both ends.

It’s worth noting that during the 2022 postseason, the Celtics found themselves facing a 3-2 deficit in the conference semifinals. The team responded with a massive road win over the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks before closing out the series in a thrilling Game 7.

What happens next is not set in stone.

Here’s what you missed from Boston’s 115-103 loss to Philadelphia: