Neemias Queta delivered a standout performance for the Boston Celtics in their 114-98 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. The 26-year-old center scored 27 points and grabbed 17 rebounds. His efforts earned him ‘MVP’ chants during the fourth quarter.
The Celtics improved to 40-20. The 76ers were without Joel Embiid, who missed the game due to a right oblique strain.
Mazzulla’s Confidence in Queta Pays Off
Last summer, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla informed Neemias Queta that he would become the team’s starting center. This was after Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, and Luke Kornet’s departures. Mazzulla wanted to give Queta time to prepare mentally and physically for the increased responsibility. Queta focused on fine-tuning various aspects of his game over the summer.
Mazzulla praised Queta’s ownership and responsibility as a starting center. He added that Queta cares and works hard.
Celtics Dominate the Boards
Boston won the rebounding battle 58-37. The Celtics scored 30 second-chance points. They average 17.1 second-chance points per game.
Jaylen Brown contributed 27 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists for Boston. Brown said the team trusted Queta to make the right decisions with the ball.
Maxey Leads Sixers in Embiid’s Absence
Tyrese Maxey scored 33 points for the 76ers. Maxey played 43 minutes and made 12 of 34 shots. According to Mazzulla, the Celtics did a good job defending Maxey without fouling and keeping him out of transition.
VJ Edgecombe added 23 points and five rebounds for Philadelphia. Andre Drummond had 10 points and 12 rebounds. Dominick Barlow contributed 14 points and eight rebounds.
The Celtics paid close attention to Edgecombe, who scored 34 points in his NBA debut against Boston on opening night. Boston seemed determined to not allow that to happen again as it swarmed him every time he touched the ball.
Sixers Struggle to Find Rhythm
The Sixers jumped out to a 10-point lead in the first half. However, the Celtics found their rhythm offensively and built a 12-point halftime lead. The lead grew to as large as 16.
Oubre missed some open shots in the paint. With Maxey struggling early, the Sixers needed another scorer on the perimeter, but Oubre couldn’t find a rhythm.
Jayson Tatum, who could be nearing a return from last May’s Achilles injury, sat at his locker and laughed and joked with team staffers. He also posted the latest clip from the NBC docuseries about his comeback on his social media accounts.