Afterward, the Celtics acknowledged they had heard the booming chants, because any other answer would have been a lie. But they avoided any opportunity to pour gasoline on them, because they know this series is in its infant stages.
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“Yeah, we heard it,” forward Jaylen Brown said. “But for us, we’re just coming out and just playing basketball. It’s a good team over there. We don’t take nothing for granted. It’s one game, but we’ve got to continue to play well and play physical on the other end. So, I think we’re just focused on that.”
This businesslike approach has served the Celtics well all season, and there is no reason to change. Brown led the Celtics with 26 points, and Jayson Tatum added 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists.
It was Tatum’s first playoff game since rupturing his Achilles tendon in the conference semifinals against the Knicks last May. He had two dunks and held up well amid the increased physicality of the playoffs.
The past six weeks have been filled with small “first time since” milestones for Tatum, and he has appreciated each one.
“I’m proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish in returning to play and all those things,” he said. “There were days where I wasn’t even sure I was going to play this season, let alone get a chance to play today. So, I’m openly just grateful that I’m in this position.”
Tyrese Maxey scored 21 points to lead the 76ers, but he never provided the signature scoring bursts Philadelphia will need to make this a competitive series. The 76ers made just 4 of 23 3-pointers and were without star center Joel Embiid, who underwent an emergency appendectomy April 9.
“A lot went wrong, that’s for sure,” coach Nick Nurse said. “And I think it kind of started right from the beginning with not getting off to a great start offensively, getting in some foul trouble with both bigs, etc. So, the first quarter obviously was moving past us pretty quick and we just didn’t do enough at either end to settle into the game.”
Maxey banked in a 3-pointer for the 76ers’ first points, but they made just one more over the rest of the first half despite generating clean looks.
At the other end, Tatum breezed through one of his more efficient halves this season. He broke free for fast-break opportunities. He posted up Maxey and drilled mid-range jumpers over him. He confidently absorbed contact and took six first-half free throws.
In the final minute of the first quarter, Tatum rumbled down the lane for a rare dunk — one of two in the half. Then after a Kelly Oubre Jr. miss, Tatum gobbled up the rebound and launched a long pass to a streaking Jordan Walsh for a layup that sent Boston to the second quarter with a 33-18 lead.
Tatum went to halftime with 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists.
“It’s pretty nuts kind of how far he’s come and how fast he’s gotten back,” Celtics forward Sam Hauser said.
Boston had no trouble finding seams in the 76ers’ soft perimeter defense. One extra pass and one quick step often led to a clear lane to the rim. The team converted 17 of 27 first-half two-pointers and raced to a 64-46 lead.
Despite their grisly first half, the 76ers were within reach. The Celtics had a few unsettled late-shot-clock possessions early in the third quarter, and Oubre was handed a wide-open 3-pointer that could have pulled his team within 12.
But he missed it to drop to 0 for 5, and moments later Brown, who had 16 third-quarter points, shut down a fast-break with a steal and hit a 3-pointer that was followed by a Nikola Vucevic 3-pointer. In an instant, the lead was back to 79-58.
“The game will open up at some point,” Brown said. “You’ve got to be ready for it when it does.”
Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @adamhimmelsbach.
