PHILADELPHIA — The 76ers picked a perfect time to deliver their most complete performance of the season.
Paul George turned in his best game in two years with the team, Joel Embiid came close to a triple-double, Tyrese Maxey dropped 30 points, and the Sixers never trailed in a 106-93 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The best-of-seven series is now tied at 3-3, setting up a decisive Game 7 in Boston on Saturday.
“I’ve been playing these guys for so long,” Embiid said with a smile afterward. “I’m tired of losing to them. So we have a chance to do something special.
“They’re a great team. When you look at everything they have, that’s a super team, so we just have to go in with the mindset we’ve had for the last two games.”
A lot of history will be on the line Saturday in one of the NBA’s most intense rivalries. Boston has eliminated Philadelphia in six straight postseason meetings. The last time the 76ers knocked out the Celtics was back in 1982.
The Celtics have ended Embiid’s season three times in the playoffs. No team has come back from a 3-1 deficit as often as Philadelphia without winning a series — the Sixers are 0-18 in those situations. They’ll aim to make it 1-18 on Saturday at TD Garden.
The 76ers earned this shot by playing an outstanding all-around game Thursday in front of a fired-up home crowd. They controlled the tempo, an area where the Celtics usually thrive, and held Boston under 30% shooting from beyond the arc for the third time in the series.
In Boston’s three wins, the Celtics averaged 20 made threes and shot 41.7% from deep. They are a strong 17-1 under coach Joe Mazzulla when hitting 40% from three, but just 19-9 when they don’t.
Tyrese Maxey sparks the 76ers’ Game 6 surge with 30 points, forcing a Game 7 vs the Celtics – Winnipeg Free Press
“I think we’re playing into their hands a little bit,” Celtics guard Jaylen Brown said. “Even myself, the type of shots and things they’re forcing us into. That’s not what we’ve been doing all year. Maybe a shift in approach can open things up offensively for us.”
But Thursday wasn’t just about Boston missing shots. The 76ers won the numbers battle, taking more attempts overall, and Maxey played nearly 40 minutes without a single turnover despite handling the ball constantly.
George had his most complete outing in a Sixers uniform, finishing with 23 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block in 39 minutes. He locked down Boston’s wings and hit key shots throughout.
“He was huge, man,” Maxey said of George. “Paul has been really good. He’s been consistent, a great voice and leader for all of us, and we appreciate him.”
Embiid, just three weeks removed from an emergency appendectomy, provided steady play with eight assists and only one turnover, even as his shooting touch was off (6-for-18 overall, 1-for-5 from three). He anchored the offense and limited Jayson Tatum and Brown in pick-and-roll situations. The duo combined for 35 points on 13-for-30 shooting with eight turnovers.
“You look at all the shots I’m getting — everything is short, in and out,” Embiid said. “At some point I’m about to have an extremely efficient night. Hopefully it’s next game.”
Tatum briefly left in the third quarter with stiffness in his left lower leg but returned and downplayed the issue, saying it won’t affect his availability.
The Celtics are chasing their ninth playoff advancement in 10 years and a seventh straight series win over Philadelphia. Yet even after strong recent showings, Sixers coach Nick Nurse warned against overreacting.
“I think we played really well. I think that it doesn’t really matter that much, though,” Nurse said. “We’ve seen games like this. This is just one game… We’re going to have to really dig in and focus, prepare for adjustments, and give a tremendous effort.
“It’s nice to win a couple in a row and play the way we did tonight, but it really does not matter. Each game’s its own game.”
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