The Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics will meet againtoday for Game 3 of their first-round series of the NBA playoffs. The Celtics will try to make it 3-0 after beating the Sixers 128-101 in Game 2. Coach Brett Brown is in the hot sear right now and Philadelphia must find a way to counter the Celtics’ tough defense.
Joel Embiid dominated with 34 points and 10 rebounds but struggled to get much going in the second half. Tobias Harris and Al Horford combined for just 17 on 6/18 shooting and 0/2 from beyond the arc.
Jayson Tatum dominated again with 33 points to make up for the tough loss of Gordon Hayward, and 5 Celtics scored in double-figures. Also, Brad Stevens’ long rotation had their way vs the Sixers’ backups for most of the game.
The Sixers are clearly missing Ben Simmons’ playmaking and perimeter defense but they must act quickly if they don’t want their season to come to a sudden end. They’re paying almost a combined $300 million for Harris and Horford so it’s about time they step up.
Head-To-Head: Philadelphia 76ers vsBoston Celtics
The Philadelphia 76ers were a tough pill to swallow for the Boston Celtics this season as they took 3 out of 4 games in the regular season. Then again, Ben Simmons was at full strength during those games.
As of today, Boston leads the Sixers60-47 all-time in the NBA playoffs and are looking to take them down for the second time in a row after getting the Gentleman’s Sweep in the 2017 playoffs.
Match Information:Philadelphia 76ers vsBoston Celtics
Date: Friday, Aug.21
Time:6:30p.m. ET
Location: HP Field House, Orlando
Injuries
Philadelphia 76ers
Ben Simmons:Knee, Out for the season
Glenn Robinson III:Oblique, Out
Zhaire Smith:Knee, Out for the season
Boston Celtics
Gordon Hayward: Injury, Out
Philadelphia 76ers vsBoston Celtics Game 3: Odds and Predictions
Las Vegas expects the Boston Celtics to keep their feet on the gas and take three in a row, as they open this game as 5-point favorites. However, it seems like they’re also expecting defenses to tighten up, as the game’s total score is projected in 216.0 points.
| DraftKings | FanDuel | |
|---|---|---|
| Handicap | Celtics -5 | Celtics -5.5 |
| Game Total | o/u 216.0 | o/u 216.0 |
* Odds via DraftKings & FanDuel
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How Can I WatchPhiladelphia 76ers vsBoston Celtics Game 3?
Game 3:Fri, Aug 21 Boston at Philadelphia, 6:30 ET, TNT, NBA League Pass.