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Late in the fourth quarter Sunday, with the Celtics one knockout blow away from finishing the 76ers, it was fitting that Neemias Queta provided the final punch.
A man among boys on this particular night, Queta wrestled the ball away from VJ Edgecombe, finished through contact and screamed to fire up the TD Garden crowd even more.
Queta has been terrific all season, and is one of the NBA’s most-improved players, but he had never pieced together a game quite like this one. He finished with a career-high 27 points (10-of-14 shooting), 17 rebounds and 3 blocks (plus-20), becoming the first Celtic since Robert Parish in 1989 to have at least 25 points and 10 offensive rebounds in a game.
It was a balanced effort, but Queta set the tone as the Celtics pulled away for a 114-98 win. Jaylen Brown added 27 points, 8 assists and 8 rebounds, Derrick White scored 21 and Baylor Scheierman had his thumbprint all over the game from start to finish.
Queta made his presence felt early, posting 16 points, 12 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 assists and 1 steal in the first half. That was already his most points in a half ever, and he wasn’t done yet.
In addition to his usual power, he showcased some impressive finesse and delivered crafty finishes at the rim.
He had a particularly fun sequence late in the fourth, before the and-1, where he blocked Tyrese Maxey’s shot and altered VJ Edgecombe’s back-to-back. Queta was everywhere all night and was the engine in this one, even earning M-V-P chants and a standing ovation at various points.
Queta’s play inspired his teammates, as the Celtics racked up 30 second-chance points and out-rebounded the 76ers, 59-37, in a truly dominant effort.
The first quarter wasn’t as kind to the Celtics on the glass, but after that, it was a phenomenal performance. Boston continues to compensate for its lack of traditional height with all-out hustle plays, a high collective IQ and great coaching.
3) THUMBS-UP FOR SCHEIERMAN
Baylor Scheierman, playing with a fractured thumb on his shooting hand, looked like his usual self Sunday night.
Defensively, he helped hold Tyrese Maxey to 4-of-18 shooting in the first half. Maxey missed some shots he usually makes, and later returned to form, but Scheierman consistently made life difficult alongside his Celtics teammates.
Offensively, he had a crafty play where he faked a lob in transition and cruised to the hoop for two. He also buried a corner 3 at the buzzer to send the Celtics into halftime with a 62-50 edge, giving fans a thumbs-up to let them know he was just fine.
Jaylen Brown continued to provide the perfect blend of aggressive scoring and timely facilitating. Brown’s reads have been on point all year, and he’s mastered the art of thriving as the No. 1 option while also not forcing shots.
He posted at least 23 points and seven assists for the fourth time in the last five games. Time will tell if he makes the All-NBA first team, but he’s certainly playing like one of the top-5 players in the league right now.
After falling behind 28-26 through 1, the Celtics responded convincingly with a 36-22 second quarter. This Celtics team, like many before it, has a unique ability to seize momentum and capitalize when opportunities emerge.
They moved the ball well, got Sam Hauser going from 3 and continued to lean on Queta. Of course, the 76ers weren’t done yet. They stayed within striking distance, and nearly surged ahead, then Boston pulled away once more to seal it.
White provided my personal favorite play of the night. You really can’t teach this. What a player. They’re lucky to have him.
It was a rare quiet night for Payton Pritchard, who was held scoreless for the first time all season. It didn’t ultimately matter too much, but it was interesting to watch him blend in rather than stand out.
Credit to Pritchard for maintaining his poise and finishing plus-seven with five assists. I highly doubt this is going to be the start of a trend. It feels like a weird outlier that won’t mean anything long term.
8) YOU MIGHT GET A KICK OUT OF THIS
One of the more entertaining plays of the night came in the fourth quarter, when Edgecombe dove for a loose ball and accidentally kicked a fan in the face.
She even had a battle scar to prove it. Hope she’s OK. Either way, it’s a good story – and yes, he apologized.
Apparently, Andre Drummond can shoot 3’s now. After making just 18 total in his first 13 seasons, Drummond is 22 for 59 (37.3 percent) this season after hitting two of his four attempts against the Celtics.
It wasn’t even grotesque, either. He’s not exactly Kyle Korver, but he’s actually capable of knocking them down. Respect.
After all that, the Celtics and 76ers ended up tying the season series, 2-2. It feels like these teams are going to play again, whether it’s in the first round, second round or Eastern Conference Finals.
I think the 76ers will give them a series, but I think the Celtics will win. Boston in 6.
