Game 2 takeaways: Celtics spoil Embiid's return in massive Game 2 rout originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The newly-minted NBA MVP made a difference Wednesday night at TD Garden ... to the Boston Celtics' benefit.
After falling to the Joel Embiid-less Philadelphia 76ers on Monday in Game 1 of the teams' second-round playoff series, the Celtics delivered a resounding bounce-back performance in Game 2, blowing doors in Embiid's return en route to a 121-87 victory.
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Embiid tallied just 15 points while looking less than 100 percent due to a right knee injury in his first game since April 20. On the other end, the Celtics got strong efforts from Jaylen Brown (25 points), Malcolm Brogdon (23 points), Marcus Smart and Derrick White to make up for a rare Jayson Tatum off night.
The second-round series is now tied 1-1 heading to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Friday night. Here are the biggest storylines from Boston's Game 2 victory:
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Depth charge
What if we told you Tatum would score just seven points -- his lowest total of the season -- and Boston would still win a playoff game by 34?
With Tatum plagued by early foul trouble and an off shooting night, Boston needed offensive contributions elsewhere. Enter Brown ... and Smart ... and Brogdon ... and White ... and even Grant Williams.
Brown set the tone early, scoring 13 of Boston's first 18 points in the first quarter with an aggressive offensive mindset.
Smart added 13 first-half points of his own, including an impressive fadeaway over Embiid to beat the first-quarter buzzer.
In the third quarter, Brown and Smart passed the torch to Brogdon and White, who combined for 19 of Boston's 35 points in the frame by connecting on 5 of 7 3-pointers between them. Brogdon tied a Celtics playoff record by hitting six 3-pointers off the bench.
White's contributions were particularly impactful after he tallied just 11 points combined in his previous two games. The strong play of Boston's role players allowed head coach Joe Mazzulla to give Tatum some much-needed rest, as Tatum played just over six minutes in the entire second half as the Celtics pulled away to victory.
Course correction
Poor defense and poor ball-handling were primary culprits in the Celtics' Game 1 loss. They made significant strides in both areas Wednesday night.
Boston played with a physical edge it lacked Monday night, often picking up the Sixers behind half court and applying aggressive ball pressure on James Harden. The result was a smothering defensive performance, as Philly shot just 39.2 from the floor and 20 percent from 3-point range (6 for 20) after racking up 119 points on 50.6 percent shooting in Game 1.
The Celtics also tightened up their ball control, committing just six turnovers after coughing it up 16 times Monday night. That total marked their fewest in a game since ... as the C's are now 18-5 this season when they commit 10 or fewer turnovers.
The C's have battled inconsistency all season, but that's a two-way street, as they've shown an impressive ability to bounce back after poor efforts and correct the issues that plagued them in previous games.
Joel Embiid only a factor on one end
Embiid looked like a shell of his MVP self in almost every aspect Wednesday night.
In his first game since April 20, the Sixers big man tallied just 15 points on 4 of 9 shooting while committing three turnovers. Several of those shots came away from the basket, as Embiid lacked the explosiveness to finish powerfully at the rim.
But make no mistake: Embiid can still defend the rim.
The seven-foot big man racked up a game-high five blocks in Game 2 -- all in the first half -- to shore up Philly's interior defense after Boston had its way in the paint in Game 1.
Embiid's shot-blocking also played to the Celtics' favor, however. After attempting just 26 3-pointers in Game 1, Boston launched 51 deep balls in Game 2 and connected on 20, taking advantage of Embiid's limited mobility to cash in beyond the arc.
The Celtics are at their best when they're taking (and making) a high volume of threes, so they'll look to carry that strategy into Philly for Game 3 on Friday.
