Celtics Wrap: Jayson Tatum Denies Joel Embiid With Game-Winner
The Boston Celtics pushed past the Philadelphia 76ers, 110-107, at Wells Fargo Center on Saturday.
The Celtics improved to 44-17 on the season, and the 76ers fell to 39-20.
Check out the full box score here.
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
Joel Embiid appeared to choose Saturday night to build his MVP case. The star center led all players with 41 points, and despite the Celtics rallying in the second half with a 23-3 run, Embiid kept the 76ers in the game. Boston had very few answers to stop the Philadelphia star, except hope he missed.
However, the Celtics relied on a full team effort. Al Horford helped lead that 23-3 run through his sharpshooting from the 3-point line, and Derrick White was consistent off the bench. Jaylen Brown did his best to keep pace with Embiid, and Jayson Tatum came through with key plays down the stretch.
Ultimately, the game came down to crunch time, and Embiid hit two free throws to tie the game at 2017 with 10.8 seconds left. Despite a lackluster performance, Tatum was there to hit the game-winning 3-pointer over De’Anthony Melton with two seconds left. There was a slight scare for Boston fans when Embiid threw up a long heave that went in. However, he knew the shot went up well after the final buzzer.
STARS OF THE GAME
— Embiid scored 41 ponts, grabbed 12 rebounds and dished out five assists in the losing effort. He shot 17-of-18 from the free-throw line, which was more than the entire Celtics team combined, who went 8-of-12 from the line.
— Brown scored 26 points on 10-of-21 shooting. He added in four rebounds, three assists and three steals.
— Tatum wasn’t the most consistent performer for the Celtics on Saturday, but he continues to be their most clutch. He finished the night with 18 points, 13 rebounds and six assists.
WAGER WATCH
Tatum had +165 odds to record a double-double at DraftKings Sportsbook. This meant a $100 bet would have paid out $265.
UP NEXT
The Celtics close out their three-game road trip in New York to take on the Knicks. Tipoff from Madison Square Garden is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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