The Celtics conquered two forces on Friday night time: the 76ers and the chaos that ensued within the second half of Boston’s first NBA Cup matchup.
With consecutive wins of their again pocket, the underdog Celtics carried their momentum to the Metropolis of Brotherly Love, this time laying all of it on the road on essentially the most frenzied stage they’ve confronted but. Boston constructed a first-half lead as giant as 24 factors over Philadelphia, solely to observe Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, who mixed for 46 factors, deliver the 76ers inside arm’s attain of surpassing their longtime Jap Convention rival within the groups’ second assembly in 9 days.
As soon as the smoke cleared, the Celtics set free a protracted, pent-up sigh of aid after edging the 76ers 109-108 to safe Boston’s third straight victory. The rollercoaster trip put the Celtics to the take a look at in a large number of the way, turning what might have been a seamless march to the end right into a grueling trial with actual regular-season stakes.
“I assumed as soon as they tied the sport and we introduced it again to seven (factors) on the finish of the third, we regained our poise,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla stated. “However on the identical time, I like that we operated within the chaos. I assumed that third quarter we managed it. I assumed that Philly clearly went on an excellent run there, and the fourth quarter was good. It was enjoyable.”
Boston, once more, relied on its unproven newcomers to embrace the blue-collar model of basketball that Mazzulla needs to outline the group’s locker room. Rebounding, beforehand the kryptonite all through Boston’s 0-3 season-opening hunch, has regularly remodeled from a weak spot into a bonus, serving to preserve the Celtics within the win column. Boston outrebounded Philadelphia 45-40, marking the third straight recreation through which the C’s managed the boards, each offensively and defensively.
Rookie ahead Hugo González sustained the defensive depth that has constantly gained over the Celtics and their followers, tallying 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 5 factors, and a pair of assists in simply quarter-hour off the bench.
González dove to the ground, baseball-slide type, on a save try within the last seconds of the third quarter, and moments later took a tough fall whereas contesting a fastbreak layup from Philadelphia’s Quentin Grimes, which he efficiently missed. Within the fourth quarter, González’s menacing protection continued, because the 19-year-old stole the ball from the Sixers after they did not advance it previous half courtroom following an inbound.
Simply six video games into the season, González has already reached the purpose the place he could be anticipated to forged a darkish cloud over any opponent’s offense on a nightly foundation for the Celtics — an expectation shared by the 2025 first-round decide himself.
“If I see someone that’s going to attempt to make it in our basket, I’ll go 100 occasions with it. I don’t care the consequence,” González stated. “I’m not permitting — or we’re not permitting — simple baskets. If I received the chance to hustle that and if it’s in my fingers, I’m going to do it 100 occasions.”
Precisely a yr in the past, González walked in a unique pair of footwear. The feisty power bunny clawing for minutes off the bench as a fresh-faced member of Actual Madrid’s skilled group in Spain. These efforts are paying off in Boston, simply months after he formally joined the Celtics as one of many lesser-known prospects from the 2025 NBA Draft class.
“On the finish of the day, you simply gotta be able to be referred to as upon at any second and ship,” Mazzulla stated. “And it simply creates that expectation and that mindset. So we’re in a position to be versatile in that and form of benefit from the several types of guys that we now have. Additionally, most of these guys are recent, so I assumed Hugo made some large performs within the second half.”
Philadelphia pushed Boston to the very edge within the closing moments of the fourth quarter.
Within the last 11.6 seconds of regulation, the Celtics dedicated a expensive turnover, giving the 76ers an opportunity at a go-ahead basket. Boston, with zero timeouts, efficiently defended Maxey’s lead-taking floater try, however the last-minute dramatics didn’t finish there. Josh Minott drew a foul shortly after securing a vital rebound and missed each free throws, giving Philadelphia yet one more probability.
Nevertheless, the 76ers fumbled on the purpose line once more, failing to even get a shot off to conclude the Boston-Philly thriller in a decidedly ugly, ugly method.
4 of Boston’s first six video games have gone right down to the wire, every determined by six factors or much less. That’s the truth of this 2025-26 roster. Some nights, it’ll be maddening to observe. Different nights, it offers gamers like González and Minott an opportunity to step into the highlight for a group and fanbase that doubtless wouldn’t have seen them in any other case.
“I believe it’s extra enjoyable,” Jaylen Brown defined. “I believe it’s extra enjoyable as a group ambiance as a result of any given night time you could be a contributor to successful. I do know it will get onerous. I’ve been in these positions the place you need your title to get referred to as and it simply doesn’t, and it piles up recreation after recreation after recreation. Mentally, it may be robust. However every night time, relying on the matchup, taking part in 10-to-12 guys, you would have your alternative on the ground. So I believe it’s extra enjoyable that method for everyone.”
