The Boston Celtics completed the sweep of the first round over rival Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday afternoon, and in turn, Philadelphia’s stay within the NBA bubble in Orlando came to an end. The Sixers kept it close for three quarters, but ahead of Tobias Harris ran the game out late in the third quarter after hitting his head on the court, and Philly – already missing All-Star ahead of Ben Simmons – was just not in able to stop after that. Although Harris eventually checked back into the game, it proved too late. Eventually, the Celtics walked away with a 110-106 win, and they will now advance to the second round, where they will likely face the Toronto Raptors, as Toronto leads its series with a 3-0 win over Brooklyn.
Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum led the way for the Celtics in Game 4. Walker finished with 30 points, four rebounds, and four assists, while Tatum had 28 points and a career-high 15 rebounds. While doing all the series, Joel Embiid paved the way for Philadelphia. The big man had 30 points and 10 rebounds, and he got some help from Harris, who finished with 20 points and five rebounds. In the end, however, it was not enough.
While the Celtics will now prepare for their next opponent, the Sixers will fill an offseason with uncertainty. The season was a disappointing one for the Philadelphia, marred with problems with injuries and underwhelming performances. The team is underscored by all accounts, and as a result, there are big questions regarding the future of many players on the roster, the coaching staff, and even the front office.
You can find three takeaways from Game 4 below:
1. Kemba Walker is advancing for the first time in his career
Kemba Walker never made it out of the first round of the playoffs in his time with the Charlotte Hornets, but that has already changed in his first season with the Celtics. Walker has already won more playoff games in Boston than he did in Charlotte (he won three overall playoff games with the Hornets). Of all the active players, Walker had the most career points in the regular season (13,154) without a win of the playoff series. The chance to advance deep into the postseason was a big part of the reason Walker finally decided to walk away from the Hornets and sign with the Celtics, and so far his decision has paid dividends.
2. Brett Brown probably coached his last game for the Sixers
After the 2019-20 season, it was widely believed that Brown’s long future with the franchise depended on how the Sixers performed in the postseason and, unfortunately for him, they did not perform well. The Sixers were swept, and although they did not have the services of Ben Simmons until the very end of the series, it is hard to imagine Brown surviving, given how much money the front office spent in the free agency.
While some would ask for a roster shakeup after an early end to the postseason, the Sixers’ front office would likely consider installing a new system under a new coach before making the decision to move on from one of her young All-Stars in Embiid and Simmons, especially since Brown is the only coach who has been one of the weeks since the league. Shortly after the conclusion of Game 4, ESPNs Adrian Wojnarowski told that Brown is “without internal momentum” to return as head coach. But while Brown is likely to be the fall guy, Philadelphia’s front office should be largely to blame for the team’s wrestling this season.
3. Tefolle Tatum
While doing all the series, Jayson Tatum caused problems for the Sixers defense in Game 4. He connected 40 percent of his efforts from three-point range (2-for-5), and he was also extremely aggressive to the rim. His 10 free throw attempts are proof of that. He was also extremely active on the glass, as he grabbed three offensive rebounds. Tatum’s 15 total rebounds were a career high and showed that he could also influence a game in ways other than just scoring. For the series as a whole, Tatum averages 27 points and 9.75 rebounds per game. The boy has already established himself as one of the best young players in the league, and he is getting better and better.
