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Heading into Wednesday night time’s sport in opposition to the 76ers, Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon mentioned his group wanted to ship a message: “It’s about popping out and taking part in our basketball.”
And that is precisely what they did, cruising to a 121-87 win to degree the sequence at 1-1.
Jaylen Brown led the cost with 25 factors, 4 assists, three rebounds, and two steals. Jayson Tatum had an off night time, battling foul hassle as he completed with simply seven factors, seven rebounds, and three assists in 21 minutes on court docket.
He picked up three fouls within the first half and was referred to as for his fourth on the 7:34 mark of the third quarter.
MORE: 76ers MVP Joel Embiid on NBA Playoffs return: ‘Not myself’
With their main scorer struggling, Sixth Man of the Yr Malcolm Brogdon confirmed precisely why he took residence the trophy this season. He got here off the bench with a bang, practically matching the complete 76ers reserves’ scoring output (26).
He poured in 23 factors to go together with six rebounds and two assists, flattening 6-of-10 from the 3-point line — a brand new playoff career-high for made 3s.
“We had been resilient,” Brogdon mentioned postgame. “I assumed it began with JB [Jaylen Brown], he set the tone and it is about setting the tone for the following sport. That is one sport.
“They got here out and performed an awesome sport the primary one, James [Harden] performed nice, I assumed tonight we flipped the script, I assumed we did an awesome job on him and an awesome job total, however that is one sport, it does not imply something if there isn’t any carryover.”
Malcolm Brogdon: “We responded, we had been resilient” pic.twitter.com/ncGRkJMr3S
— Celtics on NBC Sports activities Boston (@NBCSCeltics) Could 4, 2023
Brogdon stats: Sixth Man of the Yr conjures up third-quarter run
With the Celtics main 57-49 on the half, they blew the sport open within the third interval, outscoring the 76ers 35-16 with 21 of their factors coming from past the 3-point line.
Brogdon’s 3-point barrage was half of a bigger 22-6 run that noticed the lead balloon to 27 factors heading into the fourth.
All it took was 83 seconds of sport time for Brogdon to show a cushty Celtics lead into an insurmountable job for Philly.
He scored 9 factors within the third quarter on 3-of-5 taking pictures, whereas Derrick White added 10 factors and Jaylen Brown 9.
BROGDON THREE.
WHITE TOUGH LAYUP.
22-6 run for the Celtics on TNT! pic.twitter.com/JySuoDvmRN
— NBA (@NBA) Could 4, 2023
Brogdon drained one other triple to begin the fourth quarter and prolong the result in 32 factors because the Celtics refused to take their foot off the fuel, prompting 76ers coach Doc Rivers to empty his bench.
TD Backyard is ROCKIN’
A 3-point barrage from the Celtics in Q3! They search to even the sequence 1-1 on TNT.
Extra Recreation 2 content material within the NBA App ⤵
📲 https://t.co/sohBCC8Ben pic.twitter.com/eoKP6paByJ
— NBA (@NBA) Could 4, 2023
Boston held the 76ers to only 6-of-30 from the 3-point line, whereas taking pictures a scorching 20-of-51 themsevles — a much-improved turnaround from Recreation 1.
“It’s simply setting the tone on protection,” Jaylen Brown mentioned. “Attempting to be aggressive on either side of the ball … however actually simply setting the tone on protection and having enjoyable.”
The Celtics will look to hold that momentum into the following sport because the sequence shifts to Philadelphia. Recreation 3 is about for Friday, Could 5, with tip-off at 7:30 p.m. ET.