Embiid and Maxey deliver in Boston, Sixers win 118-114 on the official, unofficial start of the NBA season
There’s something special about beating Boston on what feels like the unofficial official start of the NBA season. The Sixers walked into TD Garden on Christmas and left with a 118-114 win, thanks to a big night from Tyrese Maxey, a gutsy performance from Joel Embiid, and the steady presence of Paul George.
A full strength Sixers squad is completely different than what we witnessed over the first two months of the NBA season.
Tyrese Maxey Late Game Takeover
Tyrese Maxey showed up in the fourth quarter like he had somewhere to be, dropping 13 of his 33 points and dishing out 12 assists on the night.
The highlight was a quick-trigger layup with 1.1 seconds on the shot clock that gave the Sixers a seven-point cushion late in the game.
If Maxey’s playing at this level consistently, the ceiling on this team just got a whole lot higher but as we should all know at this point, as Joel Embiid goes, so does this basketball team.
Embiid: Final Destination MVP?
Joel Embiid nearly didn’t play after taking a nasty fall during pregame warmups. At this point, I’m convinced he’s a main character in a “Final Destination” movie, dodging disaster after disaster.
But, as always, Embiid showed up when it mattered most, finishing with 27 points, nine rebounds, and a clutch pair of free throws with three seconds left to ice the game.
Paul George: Hold Steady
Paul George might not have put up flashy numbers, finishing the with 12/4/4 on 4-of-15 shooting but his presence was felt all night.
His defense, passing, and leadership gave the Sixers the edge they’ve been missing in recent years. Boston had no answer for Philly’s trio when it mattered most.
Beating Boston Always Hits Different
There’s no better way to kick off the unofficial start of the NBA season than by beating Boston.
The Celtics, with Jayson Tatum’s 32 points and Jaylen Brown’s 23, fought back late but couldn’t overcome their biggest home deficit of the season (16 points in the third quarter).
Add Kristaps Porziņģis leaving the game with an ankle injury, and it just wasn’t Boston’s night.
Shoutout Caleb Martin and Yabo The Bench God
Caleb Martin knocked down a career high SEVEN threes in the game, finishing with 23 points on 8-of-11 from the floor. Yabo added 12 points to go along with four rebounds and an assist off the bench.
Road Trippin’ with the Sixers
This was a statement win, but there’s no time to relax. The Sixers now head to Utah for the second game of a six-game road trip. It’s go time. If this team stays healthy and keeps clicking, it could be a long year for the rest of the East.
But for now, let’s just savor beating Boston in their house. The vibes are immaculate.
Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals.
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