Celtics 109, 76ers 108

 

First game of the season: Sixers 117, Celtics 116. Tonight's game: Celtics 109, Sixers 108. If that's doesn't rhyme enough for you, here's some more poetry: the Celtics start the season 0-3, and then go 3-0 the next three games.

It wasn't a pretty win, but the further it recedes in the rearview mirror, the less ugly it seems. A win's a win, even if we did blow a 24-point first-half lead. But I don't think the Celtics ever trailed in the game - if they did, it wasn't for more than a point or two or more than a few seconds. And in the very end, in the last three seconds with the game on the line, the Celtics held on and kept the Sixers from scoring when it mattered the most.

Jaylen Brown had 32 points and was firmly in the leadership role that Tatum used to hold. Simons had 19 poinbts and White and Pritchard both had 15. Defensively, Minott had 8 rebounds, Hauser 6, and González and Harza both had 5. 

The Celtics advance to 3-3 while Philly suffers its first loss of the season. This was also an NBA Cup game, and the Celtics are now 1-0 in the cup's East Group B.    

No rest for the weary: tomorrow, the Celtic host Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets (2-2).