The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers are adding to their playoff history as the series shifts to Philadelphia for the next two games.
With the series tied at one game apiece, suspense is building around this first-round clash.
Maxey’s Impact on the Sixers
Tyrese Maxey finished Game 2 with 29 points and nine assists. The last time the Sixers were led in the playoffs by a quicksilver point guard who caused whiplash and broke ankles and was tough to contain was Iverson.
Maxey can shift gears off the dribble, change directions on a dime, and score on anyone the Celtics offer up in defense. Sometimes two Celtics.
How Maxey craves the ball in big moments is something to behold.
He was always a shooting guard trapped in a point guard’s body, although in his case, that’s not such a bad thing. If Maxey has the will, the Sixers might find a way to win more than a game against Boston, and Maxey definitely has the will.
The Importance of Home Court Advantage
The Sixers have the next two games in Philly and should have an emotional boost.
Expect all the old-time legends (like Allen Iverson and Julius Erving) to sit courtside and provide motivation.
Iverson and Erving can’t suit up and play for the Sixers. It’s up to the current players lacking in championship experience to keep the series moving in a positive direction.
Whether this series elevates in terms of intrigue and intensity, therefore, falls on the shoulders of the Sixers and whether they can either maintain the home court or at least split the next two games.
Embiid’s Absence
The elephant in the room, metaphorically speaking, of course, is the former Kia MVP and Sixers starting center. He can change an entire game or maybe even a best-of-seven series, but is currently inactive because of injury. The identity of that person isn’t very hard to know.
Pressure on Maxey
The playoffs have a way of exposing you for the player you truly are, with every game and often every possession magnified along with the demands. Some players gravitate toward this, while others regress.
Maxey’s shooting hasn’t always been sharp in this series, but he doesn’t allow the misses to discourage him. As the Sixers continue without Joel Embiid, Maxey can’t afford to lose confidence.
That won’t be a simple task against a team that’s healthier, bringing higher expectations and championship mettle with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Game 3 is tonight (7 ET, Prime Video) in Philadelphia.