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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

Good times for the Celtics are here to stay! On Wednesday night, the team tipped off against the Philadelphia 76ers and came out victorious. The win was a little sweeter because Boston was able to redeem itself from the previous loss against the Sixers. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey’s combined efforts of 40 points, a low compared to other games, was just not enough to stop Jayson Tatum and Co.

While Tatum did score the highest (29 points with eight rebounds and six assists), the star of the day was Derrick White. He scored 27 points, 14 of which were in the last quarter which helped the Celtics seal the deal. This is their ninth win, and it is Philadelphia’s second consecutive loss. Here are our takeaways from the match.

1. Celtics are the strongest team in the East right now

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Yes, the post-James Harden 76ers are thriving. But it is important to note that they are being carried by their two lead scorers with little to no help from the rest. Joel Embiid has an average of 33 points and Tyrese Maxey comes second with 28.4 points. The next best player for the Sixers is Tobias Harris with 19.9 points. And this number only keeps decreasing drastically as we go down the list. If the power-duo continue to put all the work in, a burnout or an injury scare is highly probable.

The Celtics, on the other hand, are ensuring that the team shines through with combined efforts from all. Just last night, they were short-handed due to Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porziņģis missing the game. The former was listed out due to illness and Kristaps was sidelined due to an injury to his right knee. Their replacements Sam Hauser and Al Horford, came through to help them win. This shows that the entire roster at Boston is strong enough to take on just about anyone.

Boston has the most complete team in the NBA

Both on the defense and offense ends, the Celtics are, for the lack of a better word, perfect. They have a strong centre with Kristaps, in whose absence Horford can easily step in, as we saw today. Tatum, Brown and Hauser can take on the other aspects of offense. On defense, they have Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, both of who can easily dominate the court and create more open shots. Overall, the team is well-balanced with ample number of strong and capable options for rotation.

While White does take on defense, he also took charge of the offense in the fourth quarter. This also points at the versatility of each player in the team. Boston head coach Joe Mazzulla said, “I didn’t say it in those words, but he kind of knows that. With the matchups that we had, his efficiency was sky high. And when we can get him into those pick and rolls with his right hand, it’s a good effective play for us. He’s one of those guys who just shows up and makes the big play.” Because of this, Boston are literally unstoppable and we cannot wait to see what they have in store for fans.

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They might not be losing #1 spot in the East

Boston now occupies the first position in the Eastern Conference. They are 9-2, while remaining undefeated on their home ground. Their only two losses came from visits to Philadelphia and Minnesota. On the In-season Tournament standings, they again occupy the first position in East: Group C with just one win and three more games to play.

Read More : Tyrese Haliburton Double-double Spoils Joel Embiid and Maxey’s 66-point Effort – 3 Key Takeaways as 76ers’ 8-0 Run Ends

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The last time the Celtics came close to the title was in 2022 when they played against the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. They lost 2-4 but this time around, they will be hoping to write history and end their 15-year championship drought. Do you think they can get far? Let us know!

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