Sixers fend off Celtics and secure statement win behind Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid

Keith Pompey, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Dec 25, 2024

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BOSTON — If the 76ers’ game against the defending champion Boston Celtics was a barometer of where they stand, the answer was clear after registering a 118-114 Christmas Day victory at TD Garden.

The Sixers showed that they have the potential to be an elite team. They were solid in transition, had a balanced attack, built a 16-point lead and weathered Boston’s comeback efforts. The victory improved their record to 11-17 and marked the team’s eighth victory in 11 games.

This win also showed major improvement since Saturday, when they suffered a 27-point road loss to the East- and NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers. The Sixers responded by defeating the San Antonio Spurs, 111-106, on Monday at the Wells Fargo Center. Then came their Christmas Day victory over the Celtics (22-8), which served as a sort of statement.

Paul George gave the Sixers a five-point cushion with a pair of foul shots with 6.2 seconds remaining. But Jaylen Brown responded with a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to close the gap to two points. However, Joel Embiid made a pair of foul shots with 2.8 seconds left to officially fend off the Celtics.

The Sixers were 19 for 19 from the foul line on an evening when Tyrese Maxey and Embiid showed why they were the NBA’s top scoring duo last season.

Maxey finished with game highs of 33 points and 12 assists to go with three steals. He made 12 of 23 shots. Embiid added 27 points and nine rebounds in the win. He made 4 of 5 3-pointers.

Meanwhile, Caleb Martin continued his dominance against the Celtics. The Sixers forward added 23 points on 8-for-11 shooting — including a season-high seven 3-pointers. Martin has a knack for producing big games against the Celtics, doing so with the Sixers and his former team, the Miami Heat.

Embiid, however, did have a slight pregame health scare. While warming up, he fell over the rope along the perimeter of the court. Lying on his back, Embiid reached out and grabbed his right ankle before rising to his feet and continuing his warm-up routine.

That moment became a blip for Embiid once the game tipped off. And nothing has bothered Maxey as of late. He has done a solid job of shooting the ball since making just 40.3% of his shots in the first 15 games of the season.

He’s “maybe a little bit more aggressive and more assertive in the shots he’s taking,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse said of the difference. “I think he’s certainly a good shooter through and through. A little bit of a rough early start, but I probably thought he was going to shoot his way out of that. So he continues to do that.”

Maxey was aggressive at the start against the Celtics. He accounted for 70% of his team’s 30 first-quarter points. He had 12 points on 5-for-10 shooting to go with four assists. Nine of Maxey’s teammates scored points off his assists.

With Maxey leading the way, the Sixers built a 16-point lead in the second quarter. However, the Celtics responded with a 13-4 run to close the gap to five points with 42 seconds left before intermission. Maxey hit a pair of free throws and Embiid sank a 3-pointer in the closing seconds to give the Sixers a 66-58 halftime lead.

Embiid was perfect in the second quarter, scoring 10 points on 4-for-4 shooting — including two 3-pointers. Embiid and Maxey combined for just seven points on 1-for-6 shooting in the third quarter. George also missed all five of his shots during the time.

The Sixers trio’s shooting woes combined with Brown scoring 14 third-quarter points enabled Boston to get back into the game. The teams went into the fourth quarter tied at 82.

But Maxey got back into the groove in the fourth quarter. He scored three straight baskets to give the Sixers a 94-84 lead with 8:50 to play. The Celtics pulled within two points late, but the Sixers ended the game with clutch foul shots.