Celtics panic meter after shocking 27-point turnaround in Game 2 loss to 76ers

One of the more intriguing first-round matchups in the NBA Playoffs is between the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics. As good as the Celtics have been all season, especially with Jayson Tatum back on the court next to Jaylen Brown, the Sixers certainly pose a challenge when all their pieces are together.

Although Joel Embiid continues to be sidelined after undergoing an emergency appendectomy, Tyrese Maxey has stepped up to lead the 76ers, along with VJ Edgecombe and Paul George contributing at a high level.

We have seen the Celtics battle the 76ers in the playoffs through the years, which is why this rivalry in the first round certainly has some juice to it. After the 76ers picked up a 111-97 Game 2 win in Boston following their 32-point defeat in Game 1, this series has suddenly shifted, with the next two games being in Philadelphia.

Could we actually see a monumental upset in the first round of the Eastern Conference?

As great as the Celtics can be, their biggest concern lies in their offensive philosophy, and this directly led to the 76ers’ 27-point turnaround in Game 2 on Tuesday night.

Live and die by the three

Since Joe Mazzulla took over as the head coach of the Celtics, this team has been one of the best from the perimeter.

Not only does Boston take a lot of threes every game, but they have the personnel to knock them down at a high rate. This season, the Celtics ranked third in 3-pointers made, fourth in 3-pointers attempted, and eighth in 3-point percentage.

As good as the Celtics can be from the perimeter, they can also go ice-cold at times, which results in their stagnant offense. That is exactly what occurred in Game 2 on Tuesday night, as they shot 13-of-50 (26%) as a team.

While it did not help that the 76ers made 19 threes, shooting close to 50% as a team, the Celtics struggled to get anything going outside of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum combining for 55 points.

When the outside shot isn’t falling for Boston, this team’s movement staggers and its offense becomes predictable.

Although the shooting is a problem right now for the Celtics, the bigger issue stemming from Game 2 is the confidence and momentum handed over to the 76ers on a silver platter.

Sixers’ confidence growing without Joel Embiid

Without Joel Embiid, the 76ers went 21-23 during the regular season, struggling to forge their identity on offense at times.

That was not the case in Game 2, as the 76ers’ hot shooting from the perimeter allowed them to expand their offense and find lanes to drive toward the hoop. The Celtics are normally one of the top defensive teams, but with how hot Maxey and Edgecombe were from the perimeter, this caused Boston’s defense to extend further than it should have.

Given how dynamic and athletic both Maxey and Edgecombe are, this directly resulted in their easy access to the rim to convert on the interior.

Not to mention, the 76ers really held their own inside on both ends of the court despite being outrebounded 50-42. The Sixers grabbed 12 offensive rebounds, four of which were by Edgecombe, and they were only outscored 38-32 in the paint.

It is clear to see that the 76ers’ confidence has grown immensely after stealing a game in Boston, and now the question becomes whether they can get Embiid back at some point in this series.

If they can win another game and head back to Boston at least tied at 2-2, this series will get super interesting and quite honestly favor the 76ers, who won’t have an ounce of pressure on them.

Celtics’ panic meter

There definitely needs to be a sense of urgency from the Celtics heading into Game 3 of this series in Philadelphia.

Although there is no reason for full-blown panic at this stage, the 76ers claiming the second game in Boston definitely has everyone’s attention, including the entire Celtics organization.

Think of that meme where the guy is sitting back in his chair, not worrying about anything, and then he leans forward to lock in. That is the Celtics right now, who are simply nodding in approval and saying “game on” to themselves.

It is a good thing for the Celtics to face this kind of pressure early on in the postseason, as it simulates what the rest of the way could look like for them.

The panic meter is definitely rising for Boston since this series is 1-1 heading to the Sixers’ home for the next two games, but it’s hard to imagine that the Celtics won’t win at least one game in Philadelphia.

Celtics’ panic meter (1-10): 6 — Celtics have given 76ers confidence and advantage heading home.

The post Celtics panic meter after shocking 27-point turnaround in Game 2 loss to 76ers appeared first on ClutchPoints.