Saturday, February 15, 2025
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NBA Preview: Boston Celtics (34-15) vs. Philadelphia Sixers (19-28)

After the Boston Celtics’ home loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Christmas Day, Jayson Tatum candidly acknowledged that the defending champions still had plenty of room for improvement.

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Since that performance, the Celtics have been somewhat inconsistent but have managed to win five of their last seven games as they prepare for Sunday’s road matchup against the Sixers.

Boston had not experienced back-to-back losses all season until the 118-114 defeat to Philadelphia. Tatum led the Celtics with 32 points, but Tyrese Maxey’s 33 points and 12 assists powered the Sixers to victory.

Tatum backed up his post-Christmas words on Friday by hitting the game-winning jumper with under a second remaining in a 118-116 road win over the New Orleans Pelicans. He finished with 27 points and 10 assists, complementing Jaylen Brown’s 28-point effort. Tatum spun to his left and hit a tough fadeaway for the winning points.

The Celtics secured the win despite being outrebounded 48-35 against a New Orleans team missing several key players. Boston’s defense struggled to contain Trey Murphy III, who scored 40 points.

Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers had their four-game winning streak snapped in a 137-134 defeat to the visiting Denver Nuggets on Friday. Maxey shone brightly in that game, finishing with 42 points and nine assists.

Despite aiming to send multiple players to the All-Star Game, the Sixers will have no representatives this year. Joel Embiid (knee) and Paul George (finger) have both missed significant time this season and won’t play on Sunday.

Joining Maxey in the starting lineup against Boston is Guerschon Yabusele, a former Celtics first-rounder who has been a pleasant surprise for the Sixers. Yabusele scored a career-high 28 points against the Nuggets and is averaging 10.8 points and 5.5 rebounds in 45 games (23 starts).

The Celtics are looking to continue their winning streak and build on their recent success, while the Sixers aim to bounce back from their recent loss and stay competitive in the Eastern Conference.

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