Sixers need a Game 2 turnaround in Boston, but is the writing already on the wall?

Game one of a seven-game series against the Boston Celtics saw the Sixers get absolutely demolished 123-91. The real question is whether this game represents how the entire series will play out, or if the Sixers will be at least slightly more competitive moving forward.

To begin, the Sixers offense was horrendous. One of the Sixers’ main objectives for the series is that their offense needs to make up for their defensive woes. The Sixers were 4-23 from beyond the arc. Yes, they shot 17% from three. The Celtics not only doubled the amount of threes taken, but also shot 36% from deep. It wasn’t just shooting either. The Sixers conceded 22 points off turnovers compared to Boston’s three.

The Sixers also missed more point-blank layups than the number of times Tatum complains to the refs in a game. Nurse isn’t completely blameless, but can you really blame him for a team that couldn’t hit the side of a house with a basketball?

Speaking of Nurse, the way he wants to run this offense is, well, questionable. It feels as if he gave a nod to Kevin Patullo and decided to run the most predictable offense in the NBA. Mazzulla could be seen several times during the game calling out what the Sixers were going to do. But it’s also not hard to know the game plan for a team that never adjusts. Again, are we sure this is Nurse coaching and not Patullo?

One of the main reasons for the offensive struggles was nobody taking pressure off of Maxey. Joe Mazzula tells his players not to get beat on a player’s tendencies, and that’s exactly what they did to Maxey. They played him tough all game, and when their centers combine to go 2 for 5 from the field, it allows their defenders to help much more aggressively because they don’t even have to worry about anyone finishing in the paint, which is apparent on Maxey’s drives.

It’s almost as if we had one of the best shot makers in the league on the team. Someone who could ease Maxey’s scoring burden and generate points simply by being able to knock down bunnies, unlike the two centers in the game. Oh, right, we do. But for some reason, he also has the worst injury luck in basketball. It’s undeniable that the Sixers are a completely different and way more competitive team with Embiid on the floor. Rim protection, shot creation, all of it. This game showed that again.

Defensively, they gave up 123 points. The centers provide no rim protection. Neemias Queta was 5 for 5 from the field. There was also a lot of defensive miscommunication, and with Boston already elite in the half-court, the problems only got worse. Granted, understanding as a rookie in his first playoff game, Edgecomb failed to guard ball on the perimeter multiple times during swing passes, and questionably opted to guard the next passing lane instead. I also saw far too many wide-open threes conceded.

Unless the Sixers can somehow manage to drag this series out and Embiid can miraculously make a comeback, they could very well get swept. A 32-point loss in the playoffs is embarrassing, and as much as I try to look for the positives, it’s hard to find them. All season, the storyline has been that Maxey is by far the best player on the team, and they lack depth and support around him to win games. Once again, this game proved it.

But the cat on TikTok said the Sixers would drop the first game and then come back to win the series. The question now is, how much do we trust this psychic cat?

@moneylinecats 007’s pick for Celtics vs Sixers #nbaplayoffs #bostonceltics #sixers #jaysontatum #nba ♬ NBA on NBC Theme (Roundball Rock) – Epic Version – Champions United

I don’t know what’s worse, watching the Phillies or the Sixers. On the bright side, playoff hockey is back on South Broad! At this point, we shouldn’t be expecting wins from the Sixers in this series. If we look for Maxey to be Maxey and Edgecombe to improve game by game, our future will look brighter. But for now, we might have to accept our fate this season.

Unless the psychic cat is correct.

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