Celtics 128, Sixers 96

 

Complete, utter domination by the C's. Joel Embiid was adorable in his comeback attempt, scoring the Sixers' first eight points before getting shut down by the Jays. Boston won the game by 32 points, and it was only by that few because the Celtics sat their starters in the fourth. 

Philadelphia, you must do some things great - I don't know, cheese-steak sandwiches? - but playing the game of basketball isn't one of them.

Payton Pritchard led all scorers with 32 points, including his trademark end-of-period points in the first and the third, and off the bench at that. Tatum had 30 points and 11 assists, and Brown had 20 points. As a team, the Celtics outrebounded the Sixers, 51-30, and hit 24 three--pointers to the Sixers' nine. 

The Celtics take a 3-1 series lead, and can seal it tomorrow back in Boston.

It's still not clear who the next opponent will be. The Knicks apparently have their hands full with the Atlanta Hawks. New York won last night after back-to-back, single-point victories by Atlanta - the series is currently tied at two games to two. But whoever emerges from that scrum, it's still a smart-money bet that the Celtics will eventually play the Pistons for the Eastern Conference championship.