Sixers steamrolled by Celtics in Game 1 of NBA playoffs

The Philadelphia 76ers fell to the Boston Celtics, 123-91, in Game 1 of their first-round series. Tyrese Maxey led the way for the Sixers, scoring 21 points, while VJ Edgecombe scored 13 in his playoff debut.

Here’s what stood out.

A predictably ugly game

This game was a frustrating contest that was never particularly close. The struggles the Sixers faced on both ends came with little surprise for those who have watched the team throughout the season. The Sixers were simply unprepared and overmatched, and it was clear on both sides of the ball.

Offensively, the Sixers had little structure and seemed to be hoping Tyrese Maxey would bail them out with a shot every trip down the court. With Boston keying in on defending Maxey, creating any offense on-ball was a major struggle throughout the majority of the game.

There was little opportunity to create an open shot as the Sixers saw little off-ball movement and plenty of poor decision-making throughout the game. Tyrese Maxey and Quentin Grimes both struggled to find open teammates while Adem Bona and Andre Drummond did little to help, combining for four turnovers.

Defensively, the Sixers struggled in transition against the Celtics, but even in the half-court, Boston’s shooters were left open on nearly every defensive possession.

The loss should weigh most heavily on the players, but Nick Nurse’s scheme did little to help on either end. Nick Nurse’s defensive scheme, particularly his help-heavy rotations, consistently left Boston’s shooters open.

The loss exposed many of the same issues that have plagued Philadelphia all season. Still, such a half-hearted performance is frustrating all the same. Philadelphia will have to bring a lot more effort and focus to Game 2.

Other takeaways

• The Sixers’ center situation was an absolute nightmare in this game. Whether it was Adem Bona, Andre Drummond, or Dominick Barlow, Philadelphia’s bigs were slow-moving and undisciplined for the majority of the game. Drummond and Bona each picked up two fouls in the first quarter, with the former adding a technical foul and the latter his third personal foul in the second quarter. The absence of Joel Embiid is obviously significant, but this game was simply a poor effort by Philadelphia’s entire group.
• Quentin Grimes needs to look for his shot far more often than he did in this game, especially in the first half. Grimes didn’t take a single shot in the first two quarters, despite being relied upon as a spark off the bench.
• It was a fine game for Justin Edwards off the bench. While he was little more than a pleasant surprise in an otherwise terrible team performance, he played with energy and effort throughout the game and should be relied on throughout the series.

Up next for the Sixers

The Sixers will stay in Boston, where they will play Game 2 of this best-of-seven series. Philadelphia will look to bounce back after a rough start, but will do so once again without Joel Embiid.

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET in Boston.

Unless otherwise stated, all stats included in this article are via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass, Basketball Reference or Team Rankings. All salary information via Spotrac.

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