The Sixers’ hopes of storming back to win their first-round playoff series vs. the Celtics remain alive and well.
With a 106-93 victory on Thursday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena, the Sixers earned the right to play a Game 7. They’ll visit Boston on Saturday and look for a third consecutive win. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
“Two best words in sports: Game 7,” Kelly Oubre Jr. said.
Tyrese Maxey had 30 points and five assists in Game 6.
Paul George scored 23 points. Joel Embiid tallied 19 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
Jaylen Brown’s 18 points led the Celtics.
Jayson Tatum posted 17 points and 11 rebounds for Boston. He exited with 4:03 left in the third quarter and did not return. Tatum told reporters his left leg was “a little stiff” and that he expects to play in Game 7.
Here are observations on the Sixers’ emphatic Game 6 victory:
Celtics tweak defense on Embiid
Embiid carried over the momentum from his stellar second half in the Sixers’ Game 5 win. He scored the team’s first five points with a mid-range jumper and an off-balance, and-one layup.
With three-pointers from George and Maxey, the Sixers jumped out to an 11-4 lead. The Celtics started 2 for 9 from the field.
Boston varied its defensive looks against Embiid and predictably showed him less pure single coverage than in Game 5.
While the Celtics’ changes weren’t dramatic out of the gate, they were clearly wary of Embiid’s post scoring and preferred to make him a passer. Embiid notched a first-quarter assist from the post after the Celtics double teamed him on the dribble. Oubre cut free and Embiid found him for a dunk.
“It helps when you have the same trainer,” Embiid said. “The way I see the game, the way I communicate to him … Drew (Hanlen) sends him film, so he knows what I’m talking about. It’s easy. If I’m doubled, you just cut.”
Embiid got several good early mid-range looks off of his two-man game with Maxey. He was still a tad off as a jump shooter and went 6 for 18 from the floor in the game.
“You look at all the shots I’m getting, everything is short, in and out,” Embiid said. “At some point, I’m bound to have an extremely efficient night. Hopefully, it’s next game. … Just getting back, trying to find your touch. That’s been the same thing over the years. I’m working on it.
“Can’t get frustrated. You look at some of the misses I had in the first half last game and the whole game today, these are some of the shots I make in my sleep, especially from the mid-range. Just got to keep shooting them. I’m definitely going to be better.”
Brown runs into foul trouble, Sixers capitalize
Both Brown and VJ Edgecombe were called for their second fouls around the midpoint of the first quarter. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla didn’t take any dramatic steps to curb Brown’s first-half minutes, trusting he would avoid a third foul.
Crucially, Oubre drew Brown’s third at the 5:05 mark of the second quarter. The Sixers got the off-arm push call on Brown they’ve been seeking throughout the series. Brown protested the whistle but had to sit for the remainder of the first half. He was called for his fourth personal just 31 seconds into the third quarter on another offensive foul.
“It’s tough when you get in foul trouble,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said. “We went through it the first game. It just totally screwed up our rotations and everything in Game 1. So I’m sure it was tough for them.”
Also significant in the foul department: The Celtics had a poor start at the free throw line. They missed 6 of their first 8 foul shots, all on attempts by Brown and Tatum. That included three straight Brown misses.
The Sixers’ defensive energy and playmaking were pluses in the second quarter, too.
Justin Edwards returned to the rotation and worked hard in his possessions against Brown. Oubre picked up a block and a steal. George rotated over sharply and rejected big man Neemias Queta’s layup. Not much came easily for the Celtics, who committed nine first-half turnovers, and the Sixers were rock-solid on the defensive glass.
“I think guys are just doing a better job of checking out and moving a little quicker toward the long rebounds,” Nurse said. “I think it’s probably that simple.”
Sensational third quarter for Sixers
On the other end, Maxey poured in 21 points over the first two quarters. A Maxey runner with 3.5 seconds left in the second period gave the Sixers a 58-49 lead.
Maxey turned to his two-man game with Embiid a ton, including on plenty of side pick-and-rolls. As a pair, Maxey and Embiid struck a nice balance in the first half between probing the defense and attacking without hesitation when the moment was right.
The Sixers expanded their advantage early in the third quarter. In a crowd-thrilling sequence, Oubre swatted a Brown layup, leading to a fast break that finished with George dishing a behind-the-back pass and Edgecombe jamming the ball home.
“We need those types of plays, we need that energy, we need our crowd involved like they were tonight,” Oubre said. “They were amazing. Coach always says, ‘Make winning plays.’ The team that makes the most winning plays at the end of the day usually comes out on top.”
The Celtics asked for timeout. They soon trailed by 17 points with a George pull-up triple. George’s high-quality two-way play and outstanding three-point shooting in this series continued Thursday night. He made five threes in Game 6 and has gone 19 for 35 (54.3 percent) beyond the arc.
“He was huge, man,” Maxey said of George. “Paul has been really, really good. He’s been consistent. He’s been a great voice, a great leader for all of us. We appreciate him.”
Though the Sixers benefited from Boston missing some open jumpers, they maintained strong defensive focus and prevented the Celtics from eating into their lead late in the third quarter. The Sixers thought Andre Drummond beat the third-quarter buzzer with a corner three, but replays showed he didn’t release his shot in time.
Boston still found itself down 23 points early in the fourth quarter after Embiid fed George for a backdoor lay-in. Mazzulla called timeout again and played an all-bench lineup.
That unit fared well. The Sixers’ offense grew cold and sloppy. George was assessed a technical foul for his complaints about a no-call. Ron Harper Jr. drained a corner three. Luka Garza’s dunk cut the Celtics’ deficit to 88-76.
The Sixers eventually restored order and steered clear of a horrendous collapse. They didn’t close the night in especially clean fashion, but the final score is all that matters. The Sixers thoroughly deserved the win and a chance to complete their series comeback on Saturday.
