With a 102-94 victory in Game 3 on Friday night, the Boston Celtics took a commanding 3-0 lead over the Philadelphia 76ers. While Jayson Tatum paved the way for the Celtics during their first two wins, it was Kemba Walker who led the loads for Boston in Game 3. Walker hit a big shot after big shot for Boston, and he finished the game with 24 points , eight rebounds, and four assists. Jaylen Brown added 21 points for the Celtics, while Tatum was held at just 15.
Like all series, Joel Embiid led the way for the 76ers. He finished the game with 30 points and 13 rebounds. Embiid got a little help from the Philadelphia backcourt as Shake Milton and Josh Richardson both scored 17 points. Finally though it was not enough, and the Sixers now find themselves just one loss away from their season coming to an end. For what it’s worth, no team in NBA history has ever come back from 3-0 down to go through and win the series. Philadelphia will have the chance to be the first, but history is clearly not on its side.
Game 4 between the Celtics and 76ers is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. You can find three main takeaways from Game 3 below:
1. Embiid is in desperate need of help
In addition to a few late turns in Game 3, Embiid has had a great series for the Sixers. He has averaged 30 points and 13 rebounds per game so far, but he has had almost no help. With Ben Simmons along, the Sixers need all of their other key employees to step up, and that just hasn’t happened. The Sixers signed both Tobias Harris and Al Horford for massive contracts this past full season, and neither has been able to deliver in relation to how much they are paid. Horford combined for a paltry 16 points through the first three games, and Harris, a player who was a go-to scorer for Philadelphia, scored a total of 43. It will already be an uphill battle, and the Sixers will have absolutely no chance of advancing in this series if they do not get much more production from the other guys around Embiid who are meant to be key contributors.
2. Celtics continue to dominate the battle of the banks
After the Celtics lost Gordon Hayward for the rest of the series in Game 1, it seemed that Boston’s depth, for lack of it, could become an issue. However, it has not been a problem. The Bank of Boston doubled the Bank of Philadelphia in points production 41-20 in Game 2, and the same thing happened in Game 3. Under the leadership of Grant Williams (seven points) and Enes Kanter (six points) the Boston Bank doubled again on Philly’s 20- 9. In fact, Alec Burks was the only reserve player to score for the Sixers on Friday night, and that just won’t get the job done for Philadelphia.
3. History is on the side of the Celtics
If the Celtics eventually go on to lose this matchup, they will be the first team in NBA history to blow a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven series. However, based on the first three games, the Celtics did not have much to worry about. They have unpacked the Sixers at both ends of the floor, and it is becoming increasingly clear how much the Sixers are missing Ben Simmons. Without him, they have trouble generating open looks on the offensive end or getting defensive stops. The Sixers have kept it close in two of the three losses, so it is possible that they could have come away with a win in Game 4, but to say that it is highly unlikely that the Sixers will win three right is an understatement. There is almost no chance that this will happen. If the Celtics continue to win the series, they are likely to match defending champions Toronto Raptors in the second round, The Raptors are currently 3-0 in their series against the Brooklyn Nets.
