2023 East Semifinals | (2) Boston Celtics VS. (3) Philadelphia 76ers (BOS WINS 4-3)

[Snotbubbles]

The mental hurdle that the Sixers jumped in this series reminds me of Mike Tyson. At one point, Mike Tyson was the most feared man on the planet. His opponents were defeated before they stepped into the ring. Then Mike Tyson took Buster Douglas lightly, got knocked out and the whole perception that Tyson was invincible was over and Tyson was never the same.

The Sixers have been taking it on the chin by the Celtics for multiple playoff series. Winning game 4 for the Sixers was like Douglas knocking out Tyson. The Celtics are done now because this series is no longer about what the Celtics can do, but what the Sixers are doing. The invincibility is gone from Boston.

[bebopdeluxe]

You can't celebrate a thing against a team this dangerous until they're 6 feet under.

Ned to bury the "curse of the airplane" tonight.

[bebopdeluxe]

You can't celebrate a thing against a team this dangerous until they're 6 feet under.

.

[kuclas]

What happened to Robert Williams. Did the injuries kill him this much? He seems to have little impact now.

Probably lost some of his explosiveness or just a bad matchup with embiid since he’s a non shooter.

I’m just betting Celtics figure they need more spacing on offense. Embiid will just clog the lane with Williams out there.

So more of Boston coaches thinking Williams potentially not contributing on defense with Horford and Williams in the game at the same time. But this has hurt Boston’s defense, rebounding.

So might as well put Williams in game. Leave tucker wide open. Williams helps out on Horford with embiid.

The playoff game will be in the 80s/90s scoring range. Ugly. But if Boston’s hits their 3 pointers could work out well in their favor. But they will be heavily contested 3 pointers with sixers defenders staying close to the perimeter with embiid camped out in the paint.

If

[Snotbubbles]

What happened to Robert Williams. Did the injuries kill him this much? He seems to have little impact now.

Probably lost some of his explosiveness or just a bad matchup with embiid since he’s a non shooter.

I’m just betting Celtics figure they need more spacing on offense. Embiid will just clog the lane with Williams out there.

So more of Boston coaches thinking Williams potentially not contributing on defense with Horford and Williams in the game at the same time. But this has hurt Boston’s defense, rebounding.

So might as well put Williams in game. Leave tucker wide open. Williams helps out on Horford with embiid.

The playoff game will be in the 80s/90s scoring range. Ugly. But if Boston’s hits their 3 pointers could work out well in their favor. But they will be heavily contested 3 pointers with sixers defenders staying close to the perimeter with embiid camped out in the paint.

If

If Williams and Horford are on the floor together, I'm clogging the paint, having whoever is guarding Tatum, Brown and the other player stay with their man, no help and have Horford take 20 threes tonight and just rebound the bricks Horford has been throwing up.

[okboomer]

If the 76ers win tonight I think they win the finals. They may have finally gotten over that mark in game 4. I expect the Celtics best effort but I also expected that at game 5 and it wasnt.

[facothomas22]

I think this series is coming to a end tonight. The Celtics looked defeated after losing at home in game 5. We got finally got a good Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey game on Tuesday. Looks like Joel Emiid is going put a consistent 25-35 points in a game. James Harden seems to have huge performance every other game. PJ Tucker has been very impactful for the 76ers without scoring a lot of points. De'Anthony Melton can give the 76ers a additional 15-20 points on every given night.

[Bill Bradley]

This is obviously going to go 7 and will come down to the wire in the end. Celtics blowout tonight.

[Tai]

I'm not feeling well and haven't been online much the last couple days. And that game certainly didn't help lol.

But wanted to say congrats on the big win last night Sixers fans. I don't know what the hell my Celts were doing but you guys were really good. First game in the series where Philly just flat out looked like the more confident, better team.

Hoping my guys bounce back of course. I guess we'll see.

My weird advice is - don't watch. That's what I always did for teams I root for. If you miss the game and find out later they lose, not bad right? It saves you all the pain. You put down the phone, stay away from realgm, spend the rest of your day with your family. If the box score pops up in 4th quarter they are up by double digits, hell yeah turn on the TV and enjoy the final moments of the win. Best feeling in the world. If they are up by 10 I start watching with 10 minutes left, if they up by 5, 5 minute, etc. gradually postponing it to keep your chance of watching a heartbreak to minimum. I turned off my TV for HOU-LAC G6 4th quarter back in 2015, I still believe it was the best decision ever.

It's a win win situation as weird as it sounds because you actually don't get to watch the game

May as well reply to this because not much for me to say that hasn't already in this thread, but yea I couldn't imagine simply saying I won't watch. It's one thing if there's something planned with family and friends that would require us to leave the house, at least then I have an excuse not to care in the moment about the game. Like, me and a friend went to watch Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 on Tuesday (which I do recommend you watch if you haven't), and of course the Celtics lost but win or lose I would have rather had watched the movie with my buddy anyway lol.

But if I'm home and don't really have any other reason to not watch the game, that TV is going to be on. Hell I went to Game 7 against the Bucks last year; I still believe it was the best decision ever

[Wolfgang630]

Boston isn’t winning. They’ve shown WHO they are this postseason. They’re not the same team like last year. You can’t just magically change your identity when that’s not what your coach wants.

Tatum has these awful slow starts too. This isn’t a must win for Philly because they’ve shown they can win in Boston and Boston has shown they can lose many times at home, but Philly will close it out today.

[bebopdeluxe]

This is obviously going to go 7 and will come down to the wire in the end. Celtics blowout tonight.

Why "obviously"?

What is it that tells you that, with the Celtics losing 2 out of 3 on their home court - including Tuesday's night's wire-to-wire, double-digit loss - that the Celtics are going to blow the Sixers out tonight?

Frankly, I think it is going to be a knife-fight in a alleyway. Take the under. Ugly, sloppy, physical.

I don't see a "blowout" on either side. Why are you so convinced of it?

[liquidswords]

I completely agree with what Tim Legler said on NBA Radio this AM - The crowd in Philly is going to come into play for the Sixers. If they can maintain their cool through the ebbs and flows of the crowd tension, they will be fine. If they get caught up like they have in years past, its going back to BOS.

Scenario I see playing out - Sixers jump out to early 15 point lead, cruise into halftime up 8. Celtics take the lead late in the 3rd. So now its, How do you respond if you are the Sixers with the crowd getting more and more anxious and tense.

[facothomas22]

This is obviously going to go 7 and will come down to the wire in the end. Celtics blowout tonight.

I think the Celtics are done. They are far too dependent on the 3pt line and when those 3pt shots aren't falling, they look very vulnerable. They have no answer for Joel Emiid. Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey could go off on every given night. James Harden usually has a big performance every other game. Even De'Anthony Melton can give the the 76ers a additional 15-20 points on any given night. Also lets not forgot that Joe Mazzulla has a been a joke in this series.

[Lunartic]

I think this series is coming to a end tonight. The Celtics looked defeated after losing at home in game 5. We got finally got a good Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey game on Tuesday. Looks like Joel Emiid is going put a consistent 25-35 points in a game. James Harden seems to have huge performance every other game. PJ Tucker has been very impactful for the 76ers without scoring a lot of points. De'Anthony Melton can give the 76ers a additional 15-20 points on every given night.

Dude is averaging 8ppg this playoffs

[bebopdeluxe]

No Scott Foster or Tony Brothers in Philly tonight.

Whew. Bullet dodged.

[Ambrose]

This one is really important for Philly. Doc/Harden/Embiid all have their reps on the line to an extent. If they lose, they are going to be facing an insane mental toll in game 7. If they close it out tonight, they are playing with house money.

[Mrakar]

Celtics are more talented team but they found a way to shoot themselves in the foot multiple times. Now they dont have room for error. I think White needs to play more than Smart and Brogdon.

I can see Embiid and Harden having a good game since they need to win only one out of 2, but if it gets to game 7 it is gg.

[Celts17Pride]

I'll be feeling real good about the Celtics tonight if I start seeing confetti drop from the ceiling.

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[Wolfgang630]

Not sure what happened to White. He was the most consistent Celtic player in round 1. He’s non existent in this round.

[bebopdeluxe]

Not sure what happened to White. He was the most consistent Celtic player in round 1. He’s non existent in this round.

I think White had been doing an excellent job defending Maxey until Game 5, when Maxey lit him up.

His defense tonight on Maxey is low-key one of the most important things to watch.