Rewind | A Hard-Fought Game 3

We expect to hear from Brett Brown in a few moments. Joel Embiid goes for thirty and thirteen. He positioned the seventy Sixers to take this game from Boston. He also tough break committed two costly turnovers in the final minute and a half that's set up Boston for its eventual win. Let's hear from Brett Brown right now, right after. You guys fight so hard in this game, and you know, going down three zero, you know the historical implications of that.

Do you just feel defeat right now or like, where is your mind at? I feel I feel bad for the for the players, uh for the loss. I think that defensively we did what we needed to do to win a game. UM. I think offensively, you know, the the quantity of just missus uh is hard to overcome. UM. I feel that you know your your to your point, the historical reference of the daunting task at hand we all get. My mind is truly on trying to uh

find to win. Um. I believe, uh sincerely that wins sometimes change everything and the mindset the circumstance, and so in this case, that's an obvious comment, but I thought it tonight from for as much spirit purposes as historical goal to your point purposes, and um, we're gonna go try to get a win, Keith Pompey, go ahead, Keith Bret. You're saying you're trying to get a win? Is it it more or less? Are you guys just playing for

pride right about now? I mean I'm not. I'm not rolling over like you know, both you and Kyle and I understand like I get it, like everybody would assume that this series is over because we're out three and zero, and I'm not trying to be you know new Rockney with with my sincere opinion is We're going to come in and play, play the game and get a win and to to to dust it off like it's delivered for pride purposes of course, but it's to keep a

series alive. And I truly mean that, and that's that's my uh, that's my message to to to them, it's my message to my staff, and that's what I keep a series alive and perhaps a season alive. The seventy Sixers losing to the Boston Celtics in a pivotal game three tonight, one O two ninety four. Boston has won the first three games of this series. Man, A lot about this stings you think about where the game was.

With two and a half minutes to go. The seventy Sixers were full of rightful energy after they forced a shot clock violation on Boston. On the ensuing possession, Joel Embi knocks down two free throws to put the seventy Sixers up ninety four ninety two, and those would be the final points the seventy Sixers would score. And honestly, as good as you felt at that point, it was on Boston's next possession where the Sixers got to stop Jalen Brown missed a three. The Sixers got the ball,

they brought it back down the floor. You're like, if they can get some points here anyhow, anyway to finally make it a two possession game in their favor. You feel like there's some separation the team would need to take this game well. Joel bead tough turnover, Marcus Smart tremendous play that led to a really tough and one converted by Jalen Brown that flipped the lead back in

Boston's favor ninety five to ninety four. Joe On the Sixers next trip down faced a wall of three defenders led by Ennis Canner, who filled in for Daniel Tye for the final three minutes. Joel gave the ball away that time, and then the big play was that Josh Richardson had to commit a clear path foul and Jason Tatum. Tatum in his first free throw, missed his second, but Boston got the ball back leading by two ninety six ninety four by virtue of the stipulations of the clear

path penalty. Kemba Walker, in what might be a defining moment of this series, nails a crossover pull up jumper over Al Horford to make it ninety eight ninety four. Josh Richardson misses a three from the corner, partially blocked by Jason Tatum. Marcus Smart, tough as nails, drives right in on Joe, He's fouled, goes the line, hits two free throws. Tobias Harris misses the three with twenty seconds left, and that was that as the seventy Sixers lose to

Boston one O two ninety four. If you listen to this game, if you watch this game, the Sixers did so much worthy of a win. Their spirit, competitiveness, toughness, edge, and physicality, all things that were lacking at various points of the first two games in the series, were as consistent as they've been at any point in this opening round matchup with the Boston Celtics. They played hard enough and compete enough to win. They rebounded the heck out of it. The Sixers now is tied into the next

big storyline to talk about. They got twenty offensive rebounds, They were plus twelve on the glass. They just didn't hit their shots to night. They got to the free throw line ten more times than Boston. They went twenty nine to thirty four from the line behind Joe who went fourteen to sixteen. But the Sixers shot under thirty percent from the field. As Brett Brown said, that quantity and that volume of missus it's so hard, impossible nearly

to overcome. The Sixers shoot twenty nine a half percent for the game, nine for thirty nine from outside the arc, and Boston it didn't shoot great. The Celtics didn't play a perfect game, but they did enough and a little

bit more to get past the Sixers. The other thing that stings tonight, certainly, compared to the first two games of this series, the most human effort by Jason Tatum, who was handicapped with foul trouble in the first half only played eight minutes, was six of nineteen from the field, did hit some big shots in the closing moments in the second half. He only finished with fifteen points, But Jalen Brown was great when it mattered with twenty one

and Kemba Walker. I think he's gotten better every game. He was really good in game one, he was very very good in Game two, and he was excellent tonight twenty four points, eight rebounds, four assists. For the first year Boston Celtic helping them to a win tonight one O two to ninety four. And perhaps the most consistent stat line from this entire series when you look at the way the teams have played, is that the Celtics

have just torn the Sixers apart in transition. They outscored the Sixers twenty two to eight on the break tonight, and that was after they came into tonight's game having outscored the Sixers thirty five to nine in transition the first two games. I'm not smart enough to do that quick computation for what it means for the whole series, but I can tell you that's a disparity that sways heavily in Boston's favor, and they've taken advantage of it.

Joel Embiid was really really good. Thirty points, thirteen rebounds. He had to manage foul trouble of his own Josh Richardson. You know, you look at his numbers, you'll see five or seventeen from the field, three of eleven from three. He did commit that clear path foul. That was a mistake, but all in all, I thought he played pretty good defense on Jason Tatum Tonight had some timely baskets for the Sixers. Shake Milton seventeen point six of eighteen from

the field, six rebounds, three assists. I think that he has not at all looked like a playoff for Timer in this series, and especially in the fourth quarter when the Sixers were fighting their way to a lead. You know, had a really nice pick and roll driving layup in a two man game with Joel to put the Sixers in front by one. He also had at one point earlier a big three, So I think Shaker has played well. Alec Burke's nine points off the bench three at ten.

He's been off the last two games for Concorkmas has really struggled in Tobias Harris oh for five from three. I thought Tobias came out with great purpose. He was very aggressive, he was opportunistic in terms of putbacks. Eight of his fifteen rebounds were on the offensive glass. But his lack of three point production in the series has not helped the Sixers one two ninety four Celtics up three zip in this first round best of seven. Tom

McGinnis had the call of this one tonight. Tom, this was a game where from an intangible standpoint, you feel good about what the Sixers did, but the last two minutes tough to watch, and now the Sixers are in a very tough spot, no doubt. And Brian, if you reflect back on what we talked about before the game, give or take six to twenty eight Eastern, we talked about this being the NBA game being a game of offensive runs and the ball club that makes the latest

and final run is the one that typically wins. And you just said it. They scored ten in a row. Sixers turnovers, block shots, runouts, inefficient down the stretch and couldn't get it done. This game was theirs for the taking. They led ninety four ninety two and didn't score. You know they got in the end, Boston wins the game and you got a credit smart and Kema Walker had a huge shot. As you mentioned with Tatum struggle, this was the game to beat them. The Sixers had this

game and couldn't close it out. It's extremely frustrating. They would have given themselves a chance in the series and now desperate straits down three. Yeah, and I'm not sure if this next thing that I'm gonna say is even it's not. I don't think there's a question. It's just me saying it. It's like, you're right, there were so many things that played in this six Ers favor into this one. Tatum's foul trouble, he clearly you could tell

almost from the beginning. For as hot as you could tell he was through games one and two early on, you could tell tonight he just I don't know, watching it and listening to it, you just felt like he didn't quite have what he did in the first two games. And then to see Joe commit those two turnovers. I mean, you can't take anything away from how well Joe has

played in this series. It's just, you know, for for watching this team over the last couple of years and then seeing Joe, you know in those situations giving the balls away. You know you have to credit Boston for sure, But it is, like you said, it's just it's tough, unfortunate for this team. And as Brett said, he you know, it feels bad for the players the way it played out right, and you got to execute down the stretch. You know, he tried to cross court skip from the

left block and they picked it off. That's where you know, you have to almost coming out of the time out, you got to remind yourself to stick to the basics. Make the easy play, make it, make a pass out to the wing and let them swing it over there. And Smart just roaming over there he makes When you watch the play Smart, it's like an incredible grab. Like I said before, Smart he plays like a gritty, tough

football player, right. He comes from what we know as a football school in Oklahoma State, and that's like a tight end roaming back there and picking that ball off. That was a great interception, but a bad decision by the Sixers to try to do that. And then you know the fade away by Embiid. You know he had just gone down closer to the basket, download gott into the line and this is you know, from the elbow,

and it's a fade away on Canter. He's falling back and Tatum is Tatum's kind of you could almost see him measuring, yeah, I'm gonna block this point. It's an easy blocked for him. And again, like to Tatum, what you're saying, like he wasn't in a rhythm because he was in fill difficulty and this time he had to come out. He didn't even play in the second quarter. He played eleven minutes, I believe in the first or eight minutes in the first half, and you know, and

then like and Brown wasn't a huge factor. So their bench was really good here and they just made the plays down the stretch. And so the Sixers were right there. But again, like when you look back and you figure they shot under thirty percent for the game and was a final stat I believe only one Sixer reserve scored. Yeah, yeah, the tough things for the Sixers and he's just not enough, not enough. And now a huge uphill battle in terms

of that day, that game on Sunday and disapparded. I mean, there's no doubt you have to be dejected to let this thing slip away the way it did tonight seventy Sixers fall to the Boston Celtics one oh two ninety four. And we've seen plenty of Kemba Walker time in the past. But each game you watch him and you're like, that

guy is he is pretty darn good. He's awful good, you know, I mean again, hampered by the left nagginy and knee injury prior to the hiatus, even after was on a minute's restriction when they came back and then you know again when he's a great player and when you get into a rhythm and you know he's so good off the dribble and he's driving it to the cop or he's stopping and pop it and getting the three huge shot, and how he made that field goal

on Horford. Again, you know, these guys they're so fast in their in their calculations in terms of oh, he's like, I got Horford. I mean, but he dials it up. I'm going to push him off the dribble, back up, get a wing jump shot. That's exactly did one of the most pivotal plays in the game. And then I go back to like what he said after Game two, and that is I this is kemma Walkers saying I have not had this much space in a really long time.

So he's telling you right there that the Sixers are not doing a good job defending him, and tonight he was brilliant for them and he helped them win the game. Alredy Tom mc ginnis will speak again on Sunday afternoon. Sixers in the Celtics Game four Thanks Brian good Night, seventy six Ers drop a one oh two ninety four decision to the Boston Celtics in Game three. They've now dropped behind three games to none in this opening round

Eastern Conference Quarterfinals matchup. Hey, this is Lauren Rosen from the Sixers. From now until the end of the season, join me and Brian for seven six live countdown presented by DraftKings before every game inside the Bubble. We'll break down that day's matchup and take you inside the team with exclusive insights and interviews. That's seven six live countdown presented by Draft Kings before every game inside the Bubble on Twitter, Facebook, the Sixers App, and Sixers dot Com.

Slash Live. Seventy Sixers Boston Celtics Game three, the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, must win for the seventy Sixers could not afford to fall behind by a deficit of three nothing in this series, but they were playing catchup from the start against the Celtics. Joel and Beat has been on top and on point with things at the outset of every game in this series so far, and tonight was no difference. Shake back three ball by a beat and

that's good. Rad Stevens is hot. He thought the screen by the Sixers shake built after the as out doing Bead was he illegal. He takes time. After the Boston Celtics start of the night eight for twelve in the field, the Sixers clamped down on d made them go one for eight. After that, it was just a two point game in favor of Boston twenty six, twenty four. After a quarter of play, Josh Richardson was called upon defensively tonight to the Lions share the work on Jason Tatum.

Tatum got into foul trouble. Josh Richardson also made his presence felt when the ball was in the seventy Sixers hands to Bias hasn't looking into the name, but they double Horford over to Richardson for three and that's good cross court skip and Josh Richardson has his second three to the last two minutes. Man. With that, the Sixers cut it to three. Their deficit was forty nine forty six the Sixers. It took them a while to get on the board with a three point where they got

a few more to fall. The Sixers really opportunistic throughout the first half, putbacks things like that. Their physicality and spirit was there even though they were down fifty one forty nine in the break. I was feeling kind of good about the direction things where head at Joel and bead was playing really well. He's getting some help in different areas. And the spirit was where the Sixers needed

to be there, playing good defense and very physical. In the third quarter, the Sixers refusing to let Boston runaway with any type of comfortable lead, Shake Milton inserting himself in the action. They swing it to Shake three from the top. Yes, a triple by Shake Milton is good. His second trade, he's got ten. Richardson makes the extra pass, credit Horford out of the post and now it's seventy

two sixty eight. Sixers were trailed by four at the end of the third quarter, seventy six to seventy two. More good things from Shake Milton in crunch time. In the fourth quarter back and forth game, the Celtics went up by six with seven minutes to go, but Al Horford then stepped up on the defensive end. Richardson to Milt six minutes, ten seconds to go and bead Is doubled back out to Shake three ball. It's good. Shake

Milt puts it in his third three timeout. Celtics one point game, and the Sixers were putting the pressure on Boston. They cut the Celtics lead to one eighty seven eighty six. That three came after an Al Horford steel out of the time out. Jalen Brown got a driving lamp seventy Sixers not backing down. There's a great pick and roll play involving Shake Milton, two man game with Joel Embiid. Milton with it again. The Sixers with a chance to take the lead. Shake goes in on Tice, puts it up.

Rub ain't good. He got it step back shot by Shake Milton. He's had the last well five of the last seven, and the Sixers lead by a point. With four and a half to go, ninety to eighty nine, Jalen Brown drew a foul from three point territory Boston's neck trip down. He made all three free throws to put the Celtics back up. The Sixers committed to turnover, but the Sixers were able to ride Joel Embiid. They were able to put some more pressure on Boston. Joe

got the line from the line. He put the Sixers up ninety four ninety two with just over two minutes to go. But then things started to turn. The six has got a stop and being committed a turnover and Jalen Brown scored on an and one to make it ninety five ninety four. Another Joel and beat turnover, clear path Falcolt against Josh Richardson on Jason Tatum. Tatum one for two from the line, Boston gets the ball back and then this Walker between the leggs. Walker with a

step back left wing twenty footer. He's got it. It's up and good by Kimba Walker an escape dribble and a jump shot, giving him twenty four at Boston with a minute to go in the game, leading by four ninety eight ninety four, Josh Richinson missed a three the next trip down, Marcus Smart hit some free throws and Boston was able to end the game on a ten nothing run and put the seventy six ers on the

brink with the Celtics now leading three ZIP. In this opening round series, Sixers shot under thirty percent from the field twenty nine and a half percent to pee precise Boston forty one and a half percent from the field. Six Ers nine of thirty nine from outside the arc for twenty three percent, Boston eight of thirty one for

twenty six percent. Six Ers twenty nine of thirty four from the line, Boston twenty two of twenty four Sixers plus twelve on the glass plus seventeen on the offensive glass. But again you have to take into account the Sixers did miss sixty seven of their ninety five shots. Thirteen turnovers in the game for the Sixers, that's equal to

the total of Boston. But those two turnovers committed by Joel Embiid not to take anything away from his otherwise pretty solid performance tonight, but those two turnovers certainly looming large and how this game played out down the stretch, in crunch time and haunting the seventy Sixers. Tonight, Sixers were outscored on the break twenty two to eight by Boston. Joel Embiid lit all scores with thirty points. He also

had a game high thirteen rebounds. He was fourteen of sixteen from the line, seventeen points apiece from Josh Richardson and Shake Milton, fifteen for Tobias Harris. He also had fifteen rebounds and four assists. Only nine points from the seventy Sixers bench Alec Burke's with all nine of those points on three for ten shooting Kemba Walker twenty forty lee the Celtics. He also had eight rebounds four assists.

He was ten of twenty from the field, three of eight from outside the arc twenty one for Jalen Brown, big plays in the fourth quarter. He was eight for nine from the free throw line, six of sixteen overall, fifteen points for Jason Tatum, who dealt with foul trouble in the first half. He played only eight minutes in the first half, finished six of nineteen from the field, two of nine from three. That made you think the Sixers have got to get this one, steal it from

Boston tonight with Jason Tatum off this game. It was not to be, as Boston ends the game on a ten nothing run twin at one O two ninety four. So the Sixers and Boston they have at least one more game remaining. Game four, the Sixers try to avoid a sweep. Sunday afternoon at one thirty. You've been listening to Rewind. Look out for fresh episodes of the Day after every seventy Sixers game this season.