Don’t bury the Celtics yet. In fact, let’s just not prepare that grave until they are well and defeated, fully, which may be never. Boston continues to win against the odds with injuries outnumbering healthy players. On Monday, the Celtics stomped the 76ers, this time without Jaylen Brown.
Bust the Process
We have that and more in Tuesday’s NBA newsletter.
Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Mind you: Brown took on extra importance when Gordon Hayward went down in the first game of the season all those many months ago. He took on additional importance when Boston lost Kyrie Irving toward the end of the season. But Terry Rozier exploded in Game 1 of the Sixers series with 29 points (7-9 shooting on threes!), eight rebounds, and six assists. Jayson Tatum (who Boston traded down with Philly to draft) had 28 and Al Horford had 26. The Celtics’ offense was unstoppable, which is very weird thing to say about an offense led by Horford, a rookie, and young god Rozier.
The Sixers had other problems, to be sure: they couldn’t buy a three. Philly went 5-of-26 from deep, and while Joel Embiid was excellent inside the arc (31 points on 12-of-21 shooting) the Sixers are going to struggle offensively when J.J. Redick, Robert Covington, Dario Saric, Ersan Ilyasova, and Marco Belinelli combined to shoot 3-of-18 from deep.
Game 2 is Thursday. Free Markelle.
Monday’s Score
Celtics 117, Sixers 101
Boston leads 1-0
Recaps: CelticsBlog | Liberty Ballers
Tuesday’s Schedule
Cavaliers at Raptors, 8 p.m. ET, TNT
Series tied 0-0
Pelicans at Warriors, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Golden State leads 1-0
Links on Links on Links
Tim Cato is in Houston where Chris Paul always knew he’d fit perfectly with James Harden.
Rozier wore a Drew Bledsoe jersey to Game 1, which is extraordinarily petty. It’s too bad Eric Bledsoe was probably on a boat somewhere warm and didn’t see it come across the timeline. Getting eliminated has its benefits.
Celtics fans got a little petty too, chanting “Not a rookie!” at Ben Simmons, which ... I didn’t realize Boston was so passionate about Donovan Mitchell’s Rookie of the Year campaign and/or Adidas’s marketing push?
Stephen Curry is available on Tuesday and has no minutes restriction, per the Warriors. [eyeballs emoji]
One day after the Indiana Pacers almost beat a LeBron James’ team in the first round on the back of the best Indiana Hoosier in the NBA (Victor Oladipo), I.U. landed its best recruit in a decade: Romeo Langford. The Hoosiers are back! This piece by Mike Rutherford on why Langford was such a big deal is fascinating.
Fresh new Rick O’Donnell mock draft! Are y’all ready for Doncic season?
Scott Cacciola on the art of NBA players cursing in foreign languages.
Is there any possible way James can keep this up? Neil Paine surveys the data.
Wesley Matthews picked up his $18 million option with the Mavericks.
Stephon Marbury is now involved in, uh, the blockchain.
Steve Kerr’s tribute to Rick Welts is awesome and well-deserved.
Zach Lowe breaks down the NBA 2K League’s virtual court decisions. The Pistons Gaming Team is the best by far.
Speaking of Zach, here’s his nuanced Russell Westbrook piece.
And finally: Joel Embiid is a legend for this. [Goku scream]
Be excellent to each other.
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