RelatedJaden Springer has struggled to find playing time, but says he's grown since trade to Celtics
The Celtics have lost two games in a row for the first time this season, and three of four overall. Coach Joe Mazzulla acknowledged that this has been a stretch of inconsistent play at both ends. The players mostly echoed that sentiment.
"I think we've got to take some ownership," Jayson Tatum said. "We've got to be better. We've got to acknowledge the things we've done that are not so great. We've got to look in the mirror and man up."
The Celtics trailed by 15 with just over five minutes left before crafting a rally that fell short, and it was their second significant deficit of the game. They fell behind by 16 in the first half and eventually dug out of that hole, but forward Jaylen Brown said they never should have been in it.
"I just think we just came out too casual," Brown said. "I just think we were walking to our spots. Nobody was sprinting down the floor, just kind of hanging around, just trying to veer back to get the ball instead of just pushing it down the court and just being aggressive. I feel like we just started off the game just slow."
The gloomy tone following the loss felt more appropriate for a team such as the 76ers, whose 11-17 start has created angst in Philadelphia. The Celtics are still on pace to win 60 games and have shown they likely will have what it takes when games matter most. But this chilly reaction speaks to the standard that this team has set.
"I just think that we have to really dive into our work a little more and understand that we can't relax during periods of the game," forward Al Horford said, "no matter the circumstance."
Tatum had 32 points and 15 rebounds to lead Boston and Brown added 23 points. Guard Jrue Holiday missed the game with a sore shoulder and center Kristaps Porzingis sat out the second half because of a sore ankle. Porzingis declined to speak to reporters and Mazzulla had no update. Boston lost despite connecting on 20 of 49 3-pointers (40.8 percent).
Maxey had 33 points and 12 assists and Embiid added 27 points and nine rebounds to lead the 76ers, who connected on 19 of 19 free throws. Those kind of performances are hardly unusual from these two All-Stars, of course.
s
But some of the 76ers' secondary pieces inflicted damage, too. Caleb Martin, who pulverized Boston as a member of the Heat in the 2023 conference finals, seemed comfortable in the familiar environment, hitting 7 of 9 3-pointers and scoring 23 points.
It was obvious that the Celtics were urging the 30 percent 3-point shooter to fire away.
"I know how they're going to go and guard me," Martin said. "I know who's going to be guarding me. I know what shots I'm going to have, and I have to take those no matter what."
Mazzulla said that to slow Maxey and Embiid the Celtics needed "to bring the game to someone." Brown acknowledged that Martin was that someone.
"That was the game plan," Brown said. "We just stick to the game plan. We trusted the game plan. Martin hit, what? Six 3s tonight? Seven 3s? That's tough. He's done that to us in the past. Going into it, we felt comfortable letting him take all those shots. He just knocked them down."
The score was tied at 82 at the start of the fourth quarter, and the Celtics were well positioned to take the lead with Brown and Tatum on the floor and Embiid on the bench. But the 76ers outscored the Celtics, 23-12, without their big man, with two Martin 3-pointers highlighting the burst.
Embiid checked back in with 4:47 left and the 76ers leading, 105-94. Consecutive Maxey turnovers led to a White 3-pointer and a Horford dunk that pulled Boston within 3. But the 76ers went 8 for 8 from the foul line over the final 2:09.