The Boston Celtics advanced to 3-0 in the preseason with a 139-89 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. This was the Celtics’ first preseason game at home in the TD Garden and they gave their fans a treat, jumping ahead early and never looking back. The 76ers were not at full strength, as Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Kyle Lowry, Kelly Oubre Jr., and new acquisition Paul George did not play. Meanwhile, besides Al Horford, Boston rolled out their championship starting lineup. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Jrue Holiday got significant minutes to help the Boston Celtics steamroll their way to victory.
The Boston Celtics Starters
In all three preseason games, the Boston Celtics have used the same starting lineup: Tatum, Brown, White, Holiday, and Luke Kornet at center. As the starting center, Luke Kornet had his best preseason performance thus far with 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting and 8 rebounds. With Kristaps Porzingis injured, center depth is a must for the Celtics. So, getting production from Kornet is a positive development and some believe he could start over Al Horford. Al Horford was the starter throughout the Celtics playoff run when Kristaps Porzingis was injured.
Jaylen Brown put together another strong game with 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists. Brown led the team in scoring again and has had strong showings in each of the Boston Celtics preseason games. After a statistically great playoff run capped off with a Finals MVP, Brown has kept up his high-caliber play in the preseason.
Jayson Tatum also had a good game, with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists. Over the offseason, Tatum worked extensively on his jump shot and put it to work in this game. Tatum shot 5-of-11 from the field and 3-of-8 from three. While the percentages are not all the way there, the jump shot looks smoother and will improve with more game time. The other starters, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White were in the single digits in points. Holiday had 9 points, shooting 4-of-5 and White scored 5 points, shooting 2-of-6.
Other Standout Performances
One player who got significant minutes off the bench was Lonnie Walker IV. Walker signed an E10 contract with the Boston Celtics this offseason and has been battling to make the 15-man roster. After not playing much in the Celtics first two preseason games, Walker got 25 minutes against the 76ers. This was more than anyone on the team, and in that time, Walker had 9 points and 7 assists.
Second-year player Jordan Walsh also impressed with 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting. Another player who shot the ball well was Sam Hauser. Hauser scored 15 points, going 5-of-6 from three. Hauser was automatic off catch and shoot threes and it helped the Boston Celtics cruise to victory.
The Celtics’ Dominance
The Celtics were on the 76ers from the jump in this game and led 40-18 at the end of the first quarter. The second quarter was relatively even, with the Celtics winning the quarter 31-30, but by then, the lead was already too large to overcome. Boston extended their lead in the second half and won every quarter of the game. While the 76ers did not play many of their key players, the Boston Celtics ran to a dominant 50-point win.
Final Thoughts
The Boston Celtics soundly defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 139-89 to improve their preseason record to 3-0. Jaylen Brown led the way for Boston, and Jayson Tatum, Luke Kornet, Lonnie Walker IV, and Sam Hauser all had impressive performances. The 2024 NBA champion Boston Celtics are still winning in the preseason and doing so in convincing fashion. The Celtics will finish out the 2024 preseason with two games against the Toronto Raptors.
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