The twenty third playoff collection between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers is the ninth to go seven video games.
The Celtics have been seemingly in management, up 3-1 and main by 13 factors within the second half of Recreation 5. They have been wanting like the most effective group within the East and have been on their technique to the convention semifinals for the ninth time within the final 10 years. However they’ve scored simply 104 factors over their final 123 offensive possessions (85 per 100) and their season is now on the road.
The Sixers have been a wild card all season, by no means wholesome or constant for an prolonged stretch, however all the time able to taking part in like probably the greatest groups within the league.
They’re now down to 1 recreation for a visit to the convention semis, the place the New York Knicks are ready.
Listed below are seven numbers to know for Recreation 7 on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock):
1. It’s all concerning the Boston offense
28 — The Celtics have scored 28 extra factors per 100 possessions of their three wins (129.1) than they’ve of their three losses (101.1).
The distinction between the Celtics’ wins and the Sixers’ wins on this collection has been a lot greater on Boston’s finish of the ground. And it begins with 3-point capturing, with the Celtics having shot higher than 36% from past the arc in all three wins and beneath 30% in all three losses.
Recreation 6 was additionally the Celtics’ worst of the collection in regard to free throw fee (they have been simply 9-for-16 from the road) and offensive rebounding share (16.7%).
2. It’s Tatum vs. Embiid
62 — Joel Embiid has been the screener’s defender on 62 ball-screens set for Jayson Tatum. That’s the seventh most typical ball-handler-screener-defender mixture in these playoffs, although Embiid has performed in solely three of the six video games.
A ball-screen for Tatum, directed at Embiid, has been the first motion of the Boston offense for the previous couple of video games. And it’s been good for the Celtics, who’ve scored 1.14 factors per possessions when a type of ball-screens has led on to a shot, turnover or journey to the road.
General, the Celtics scored simply 93 factors on 100 possessions in Recreation 6. However Embiid nonetheless had some points defending in house:
We are able to anticipate Tatum to assault him extra in Recreation 7.
3. Philly struggling initially
85.7 — The Sixers have scored simply 85.7 factors per 100 possessions within the first quarter. That’s the worst first-quarter mark for any group in these playoffs and, by far, the worst mark for both of those groups in any quarter.
The ugly first-quarter offense has been fairly constant. The Sixers scored 25 factors on 23 first-quarter possessions in Recreation 2, however have in any other case scored not more than a degree per possession in any of the opposite 5 first quarters, and so they’ve misplaced the opening interval in all six video games. Over Video games 4-6, the Sixers have scored an anemic 59 factors on 74 first-quarter possessions.
Not one of the Sixers’ 5 starters have shot higher than Paul George’s 9-for-21 (43%) within the first quarter, with VJ Edgecombe and Kelly Oubre Jr. having mixed to go 10-for-36 (28%), together with 2-for-19 from 3-point vary.
The Sixers have recovered to win three of the six video games, however they need to hope to begin quicker on Saturday.
4. Celtics’ starters struggling to attain
96.5 — The Celtics’ beginning lineup has scored simply 111 factors on 115 offensive possessions, a fee of 96.5 per 100.
That’s the worst offensive mark among the many 10 lineups which have performed a minimum of 50 minutes within the playoffs. Whereas the Sixers’ starters have all shot poorly within the first quarter, the Celtics’ group has been much less environment friendly over the course of the collection.
Neemias Queta has made an enormous defensive affect all season lengthy, however the Celtics have been higher offensively on this collection with the floor-spacing Nikola Vučević or Luka Garza on the 5. And it is going to be fascinating to see which heart will get probably the most taking part in time in Recreation 7.
5. It’s a jump-shooting collection
39.2% — The 2 groups have mixed to take simply 39.2% of their photographs within the paint.
The Celtics have taken simply 35.8% of their photographs within the paint, the bottom fee for any group in any playoff collection within the 4 years. That’s down from their league-low fee of 40.9% within the common season.
The Sixers have taken 42.6% of their photographs within the paint, the third lowest fee in these playoffs and down from 49.6% (twelfth highest) within the common season. The Celtics are inviting Embiid to shoot jumpers and solely 22 (35%) of his 62 photographs have come within the paint, his lowest fee in any of the 13 playoff collection he’s performed in. He’s a strong 12-for-24 (50%) from mid-range, however simply 2-for-16 (13%) from past the arc.
6. Simple baskets have been laborious to return by
34.7 — Associated to the quantity above, the 2 groups have mixed to averaged simply 34.7 transition factors per recreation, in accordance with Synergy monitoring.
The Celtics haven’t seen a giant drop in transition alternatives. They ranked twenty eighth in transition factors per recreation (19.4) within the common season and are twelfth (17.8) within the playoffs.
However the Sixers have gone from averaging 24.7 transition factors per recreation (thirteenth) within the common season to only 16.8 (14th) on this collection. Credit score the Celtics, who’ve all the time been good at caring for the ball and have dedicated simply 5.9 live-ball turnovers per 100 possessions (second fewest within the first spherical) over the six video games.
The Sixers’ 23 transition factors in Recreation 6 have been their excessive for the collection, and if both group can discover a couple of further transition alternatives in Recreation 7, it may flip the sport.
7. Can we get some clutch time?
1 — Solely one of many first six video games has been inside 5 factors within the final 5 minutes. That was Recreation 3, when the 2 groups mixed to attain a tremendous 26 factors on 13 clutch possessions and Tatum hit the dagger 3 after a Derrick White offensive rebound.
The Celtics have been simply 16-17 in clutch video games within the common season, whereas the Sixers (23-18) had the league’s No. 1 clutch protection and gained two of the three clutch video games that they performed towards Boston.
There have been 82 Recreation 7s within the 30 years for which now we have play-by-play knowledge, and 40 (49%) have been inside 5 factors within the final 5 minutes.
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John Schuhmann has coated the NBA for greater than 20 years. You possibly can e-mail him right here, discover his archive right here and follow him on Bluesky.