Celtics and 76ers split first‑round series 1‑1 after trading home wins
- The Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 108-100 in Game 3 on Friday, with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown scoring 25 points each to seize a 2-1 first-round lead. - Philadelphia had evened the series Tuesday by winning 111-97 at TD Garden behind 30 points and 10 rebounds from rookie VJ Edgecombe and 29 points from Tyrese Maxey. - Boston’s road win flipped back home-court advantage after the split in Boston and set up Game 4 in Philadelphia on Sunday. (espn.com)
Boston took back control of the series Friday night, beating Philadelphia 108-100 in Game 3 to move ahead 2-1. (espn.com) Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown scored 25 points apiece for the Celtics, who won on the road after dropping Game 2 at home. Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 31 points in the loss. (espn.com) The series looked different three nights earlier, when Philadelphia won 111-97 at TD Garden to erase Boston’s opening-game rout and tie the matchup 1-1. (nba.com) (espn.com) That Game 2 swing came from Philadelphia’s backcourt. VJ Edgecombe scored 30 points with 10 rebounds, and Maxey added 29 points and nine assists as the 76ers hit 19 of 39 from 3-point range. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) Boston had opened the series with a 123-91 blowout on April 19, with Tatum posting 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in his first playoff game since last season’s right Achilles tendon rupture. (espn.com) That made the split in Boston more significant than it first looked: Philadelphia proved it could win without Joel Embiid, and Boston still had to answer once the series shifted to Philadelphia. (nba.com) (sports.yahoo.com) Game 3 gave Boston that answer. NBA.com called it a win that let the Celtics “reclaim homecourt,” and ESPN’s recap said Tatum hit a late dagger 3 as Philadelphia’s comeback chance faded. (nba.com) (espn.com) The first two games still explain the shape of the series. Boston showed its size and depth in a 32-point opener, then Philadelphia’s guards answered with 59 combined points in Game 2. (espn.com) (nba.com) Now the Celtics carry a 2-1 lead into Game 4 in Philadelphia on Sunday, after a series that changed hands twice in six days. (espn.com)
