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Jaylen Brown pinpoints Celtics’ failure against Joel Embiid
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- Jaylen Brown pinpoints Celtics’ failure against Joel Embiid
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The Boston Celtics failed to take down the Philadelphia 76ers and send them home for good on Tuesday night, falling 113-97 in a critical Game 5. Now, the Celtics will have to head back to Philly and try to close out the series in Game 6.
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Many pundits had written the 76ers off after they had lost both Games 3 and 4 at home, falling in a 3-1 hole to the heavily-favored Celtics. However, Joel Embiid had other ideas. In just his second game back from appendectomy surgery, Embiid led the way for Philly with 33 points and 8 assists in the win.
That came as somewhat of a surprise given how Embiid has looked at times this season and the fact that he just got back on the floor. After the game, Celtics star Jaylen Brown pointed out the one thing that the Celtics didn’t do well against Embiid in Game 5, via Zack Cox of the Boston Herald.
“ Jaylen Brown said the Celtics gave Joel Embiid too many ‘easy baskets’ tonight,” Cox wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “‘”I feel like that propelled them.'”
Embiid didn’t make a 3-pointer on the night, finishing 0-for-5 from beyond the arc, so he went 12-for-18 on twos. A lot of those were baskets inside the paint, which is exactly what Brown and the Celtics will be trying to prevent moving forward.
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On the other side, Brown did not have a very efficient night scoring the ball. He finished with 22 points on just 9-for-23 shooting, making one 3-pointer on the night. In the fourth quarter, there were a few instances where Brown got Embiid switched onto him, but he wasn’t able to take advantage of the mismatch.
Jayson Tatum also struggled to find a rhythm, scoring 24 points on 8-for-19 shooting. While he did have 16 rebounds, the Celtics need at least one of their stars to have a good night shooting the ball to close this series out.
Now, the 76ers have a lot of confidence heading back to Philadelphia. Brown and company clearly know that it will be a tall task to go back to Philly and get a win to avoid a Game 7.
Related: 2 Celtics most to blame for disappointing Game 5 loss to 76ers
Related: Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla reveals message to locker room after ugly Game 5 loss to 76ers
