Celtics vs. 76ers: Philly survives another day with 103-92 Game 4 win

The 76ers had their back against the wall but punched back in Game 4 to avoid a second round sweep with a 103-92 win at home against the Celtics. It was a tough game that featured some jostling back and forth between Joel Embiid and Terry Rozier, but Philly survived against a tough defensive team and will live to see another day in this playoff series.

T.J. McConnell got his first career start and set a new career-high with 19 points on 9-of-12 shooting, and Dario Saric led all scorers with 25 points. Embiid was able to get the Celtics into foul trouble, and even though he had just 15 points, Philly outscored Boston by 22 with its all-star big man on the floor.

McConnell changed the game for the Sixers with his hustle and grit and will surely get the game ball after Philly’s Game 4 win.

7:32 — TIMEOUT, 76ers

This is why you never stop competing against Boston. The Celtics cut the lead to 12 because Philly got lazy. Good timeout by Brett Brown to regather and refocus.

9:00 — It’s T.J. McConnell o’clock, guys, let’s pack it up and go home. He has 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting. All heart.

Embiid: “We’re in your head.”

Morris: “3-0”

6:15: Jayson Tatum and Ben Simmons are finally getting some back and forth going, with Tatum just cooking Simmons on a couple great moves (a spin out of the post and a pretty pump fake), but Simmons getting him a couple back.

This is gonna be a long, great rivalry between two excellent Eastern Conference youngsters.

4:45 — Don’t leave Marcus Morris open, please. The man can score.

3:35 — Man, listen. If you didn’t know who Terry Rozier was before these playoffs, you know his name by heart today. The man is straight up hooping.

3:19 — Brad Stevens leaves Jaylen Brown in the game with five fouls. Brown immediately gets a technical foul for walking to the bench in confusion. Man, even I’m confused at this point.

3:18 — Yes, one second later, Brad Stevens picks up a T. OK, coach.

2:36 — TIMEOUT, Celtics

Everything is going Philly’s way right now. Back-to-back techs on Boston didn’t help. The Celtics have their work cut out for them entering the fourth, but we know not to count this team out, ever.

2:25 — Joel Embiid and Terry Rozier were just assessed double technical fouls after they had to be separated following a quick shoving match.

Then they both came up court and responded with threes for their team.

9:40 — Marcus Smart with a pull-up midrange jump shot is the epitome of player development. Very nice shot there by Smart.

8:40 — Not sure how that’s NOT five seconds on T.J. McConnel but OK.

SIDEBAR: Can we get rid of Joel Embiid’s mask already? UNLEASH THE BIID! (sorry)

5:43 — Ben Simmons in the post is a real thing

3:50 — Celtics are in early foul trouble. Marcus Smart has two, Jaylen Brown has two, Semi Ojeleye has two and Marcus Morris has three. Something to watch in the second half.

2:58 — Joel Embiid and Aron Baynes just flew at each other, and Embiid won.

1:20 — Shane Larkin ran shoulder-first into a Joel Embiid screen and headed straight for the locker room. HIs shoulder looked dead. We’ll update with his status later.

The 76ers are not trying to be swept today, and they’ve come out with an energy that Philly fans have to love. That doesn’t mean Boston’s competing any weaker, though. This one’s tight, early.

The Boston Celtics have a chance to sweep away the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 4 of their second-round NBA playoff series on Monday night at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

The Celtics took command of the series with an overtime win on Saturday. Trailing by a point with eight seconds remaining in overtime Al Horford scored the go-ahead bucket on a brilliant play designed by Brad Stevens out of a timeout, then made a steal at midcourt and a pair of ensuing free throws to seal the victory.

Horford, in his 11th NBA season, is averaging a playoff career-high 17.9 points this postseason to go with 8.6 rebounds.

From our Tom Ziller in Philadelphia:

“He’s a stabilizer for our group, no question about it,” Stevens said. “When things get going poorly, everybody just kind of looks to Al. Including coaches, we all just kind of stare at Al and wait for him to say something. And then when he says something, we all feel better and take a deep breath and maybe we can go into overtime and win this thing. He’s unbelievable.”

Boston last swept a playoff series in 2011, dispatching the New York Knicks in four games in the first round. The Celtics have never swept the 76ers.

Location: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia

Game time: 6 p.m. ET

TV: TNT

Announcers: Brian Anderson, Kevin McHale, Ros Gold-Onwude

Online streaming: Watch TNT