If the Celtics and 76ers ultimately meet in the second round of the playoffs, the C’s will have the edge. But Joel Embiid, as he showed again Tuesday, poses a major challenge that would make that a competitive and entertaining series.
Down two regulars – missing Jaylen Brown and Robert Williams – the Celtics nearly stole one in Philadelphia. Despite a frustrating offensive performance, the Celtics almost overcame Embiid’s epic performance, and somehow, nearly erased a seven-point deficit with less than 10 seconds remaining. But the MVP frontrunner’s 52 points and 13 rebounds were too much in a 103-101 loss.
The Celtics, after taking the first three games against the Sixers this season, fell three games back of the first-place Bucks with three games to go, almost ensuring that they’ll be the No. 2 seed in the East. That would likely mean a second-round series against the No. 3 seed 76ers, one that the Celtics should continue to feel good about after Philadelphia needed a memorable Embiid performance to hold off a shorthanded Boston team.
