Celtics Open Season With Resounding Win That Would Have Made Bill Russell Proud
Boston's 126-117 win came about with team work, timely plays defensively and a desire to finish the night a victory which was fitting on a night they honored the late Bill Russell.
The night began with the Boston Celtics honoring one of the greatest to ever play the game, Bill Russell.
While his greatness was often viewed through the lens of winning more NBA championship rings (11) than he had fingers to hold them all, there was so much more to the iconic basketball legend.
As much as he was revered for his impact defensively as well as being one of the first to pushback on the "shut up and just dribble" narrative, Russell was above all else a team player whose very essence was formed not by his own individual talents, but the collective efforts of those around him.
He was the ultimate galvanizing force on the basketball court, the kind of player whose presence and purpose more times than not, would elevate the play and pursuit of greatness by all those around him.
So on a night when the Celtics honored Russell, who passed away on July 31, the Boston Celtics delivered the kind of performance that would have made him proud, pulling away in the second half for a 126-117 win over Philadelphia.
Stars
Jayson Tatum: You don't want to make too much of just one game let alone the first game of the season, but there was an undeniable edge about Tatum's game against the Sixers. He was impactful attacking the rim, knocking down jumpers, getting teammates involved and rebounding. And his defense, which at times can fluctuate from awful to amazing, was locked on the latter for most of the game. Tatum delivered on all levels, finishing with a double-double of 35 points on 13-for-20 shooting and 12 rebounds along with four assists.
James Harden: For those wondering if he was back to his old self, consider Tuesday's performance the first installment. It was vintage Harden for most of the game, delivering in all the statistical categories that matter. He would finish the game with a near triple-double of 35points, seven rebounds, and eight assists.
Studs
Jaylen Brown: The Celtics are considered one of the early favorites to win it all this season, and Jaylen Brown's play is among the reasons why. Tuesday's season-opener was yet another performance in which Brown came up with strong play at both ends of the floor. Brown shared game-high scoring honors with Tatum and Harden, with 35 points.
Joel Embiid: There's little doubt that Joel Embiid is the best big man in the Eastern Conference. He would finish with a double-double of 26 points and 15 rebounds and to be frank, he was no better than (maybe) the third-best player on the floor behind Tatum and Harden and possibly Brown, too.
Malcolm Brogdon: He made his presence felt in the preseason with his playmaking. But Brogdon reminded folks that he can get buckets with the best of them. And coming off the Celtics bench, he will be looked upon to provide some much-needed offensive punch. And he did just that on Tuesday, scoring 16 points.
Tyrese Maxey: After a strong finish last season, Tyrese Maxey picked up where he left off as an impactful scorer for the Sixers. He would finish with 21 points.
Uh-uhs
P.J. Tucker: No one should expect 37wide-open-year-old P.J. Tucker to be a dominant force on the floor. But being a solid defender and knocking down open corner 3s ... that's not a lot to ask, is it? It was on Tuesday. Because it was those two areas - defense and shot-making - that were undeniable problems for Tucker. It wasn't like he took bad shots, but rather, he consistently passed up wide-open to lightly contested shots He would finish the game with six points on 3-for-5 shooting while missing both of his 3-point attempts.