The Celtics' rise in the East continues
The Celtics continue to roll over teams, handing the Sixers one of their worst losses of the season while extending their season-long winning streak to nine in a row.
PHILADELPHIA – It was a bittersweet night for the Boston Celtics.
They delivered one of their most dominant performances all season, thrashing the Sixers with an emphatic 135-87 win.
But in their battle with Philly, there was a bit - OK, quite a bit - of collateral damage with Marcus Smart suffering an ankle injury.
Smart, the heart and soul of this squad, went down in the second quarter after being fouled by Joel Embiid.
Smart was unable to get up on his own and instead was helped to the bench by teammates.
The victory extended Boston’s season-best winning streak to nine in a row as they continue to close the gap between themselves and the top teams in the East.
But the last thing on the minds of the Celtics right now is where they are or where they’re headed in the standings.
Their concern right now is on Smart who has been instrumental in the team’s winning streak by playing what has been arguably the best basketball of his career.
With only one game (Detroit) before the All-Star break, it's unlikely that the Celtics will play him even if he's healthy enough to go.
The playmaking Smart has put on display of late has been impressive, showcasing the ability to get his teammates involved while doing a better job at decision-making when it comes to when to shoot and when to set his teammates up.
His defense has always been impressive, but he has taken it to another level in the past couple of weeks.
Fortunately for the Celtics, their trade deadline acquisition of Derrick White from San Antonio is looking even better right now.
If Smart will be out for an extended period of time, the 6-foot-4 White will likely slide into the starting lineup.
Here are the Stars, Studs and Duds from Boston’s blowout road win over Philadelphia.
STARS
Jaylen Brown: He did most of his work in the first half, which is when he scored 25 of his game-high 29 points. Usually, Brown’s lack of second-half scoring has to do with him not being as actively engaged or sought out by his teammates. But on Tuesday was about Boston making light work of the Sixers and didn’t need Brown much in the second half.
Jayson Tatum: Like Brown, Tatum had no trouble putting his imprint on the game in all facets of play. He would finish with 28 points on 9-for-17 shooting along with 12 rebounds and six assists.
Joel Embiid: Boston did about as good a job as you can do defending Embiid who played just 26 minutes because of the lopsided nature of the game. Even with limited minutes, Embiid finished with a respectable line: 19 points, nine rebounds and six assists.
STUDS
Grant Williams: Filling in for Robert Williams III (calf) who was a last-minute scratch, Grant Williams continued to do what he has been doing well all season - making 3-pointers. He had 12 points on 4-or-5 shooting, all from 3-point range.
Daniel Theis: Seeing action for the first time since returning to Boston for a second tour of duty, Theis had a strong game off the Celtics bench with five points and nine rebounds in 20 minutes along with being part of the Celtics’ big man rotation charged with limiting Embiid.
DUDS
Tobias Harris: He has been charged with being the No. 2 (until James Harden plays) or Philly, but he was a total non-factor all game. He tallied just six points on 2-for-7 shooting in the loss.