Preview: Celtics Look to Avoid Season Sweep vs Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Jesse D. Garrabrant | NBAE via Getty Images
The Celtics are cruising as of late, winning their last two games in blowout fashion. They handled the Rockets and short-handed Hornets with ease, but have a much larger task in front of them tonight. Boston will take on the red-hot Philadelphia 76ers tonight.
The Sixers are led by MVP candidate Joel Embiid. He is averaging 29.8 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists a night. He was the frontrunner for MVP before getting injured and missing a few weeks. Tobias Harris (20.8) and Ben Simmons (15.2) are second and third in the team in scoring. Simmons is believed to be a candidate for defensive player of the year as well. Philadelphia then has a tandem of guards in Shake Milton (14.1) and Seth Curry (12.7) to round out their double-digit scorers.
They are 6-4 in their last 10 games and sit at 34-16 on the season. This is good for second in the Eastern Conference. They have had some tough games as of late, dropping one to the Grizzlies and nearly losing to the Knicks and short-handed Lakers.
As mentioned, Boston has been picking things up lately. They are 4-2 in their last six games and have shown signs of turning things around. Their defensive intensity is something that has been an issue all year, and it seems as though they are making a conscious effort to change that. Regardless of the strength of their opponent, they have played much better defense in the past two games.
A huge factor in their solid play as of late has been the emergence of Robert Williams. He had a historical game against the Rockets and followed it up with another solid performance vs. the Hornets. His ability to move the ball has been a pleasant surprise and opened up a ton of options on the offensive end.
Tristan Thompson remains listed as out for this game. Evan Fournier will join him on the injury report for this one with “Health and Safety Protocols” listed as the reason. George Hill is listed as out for Philadelphia, while Tyrese Maxey is probable after just recently clearing COVID protocols.
Make sure to tune in to our live pregame show, the Banner Town Build Up, live on YouTube and Facebook @GuyBostonSports. The Celtics tip-off against the 76ers at 7:30 PM EST on TNT.
