Sometimes, there’s fairly a little bit of juice heading right into a Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers matchup. The rivalry, although very one-sided, has been lively over the previous a number of seasons and has produced some glorious video games.
Thursday…nicely, Thursday was a little bit of an “anomaly” (that nickname sucks, please cease pushing it. It’s terrible). It was clear that we weren’t in retailer for the standard Celtics/Sixers matchup when the harm report featured a mixed 11 gamers who had been listed as out.
I’m certain TNT was thrilled to have the published rights to this one, people.
To be sincere, they need to’ve been thrilled as a result of this sport rocked — simply not within the conventional method.
It was filled with ridiculous moments that got here collectively to make a fantastic catastrophe.
At the start, this one was by no means actually shut. Boston led for the whole sport and spent a lot of the second half main by 15+. It was the definition of a laugher. Granted, the 76ers’ season has been one from hell, they usually’ve now absolutely dedicated to tanking prefer it’s 2015.
So, I suppose it was mission completed for them, proper?
Anyway, the primary ridiculous second got here within the first half when Derrick White needed to exit the sport shortly after taking a shot to the face. As he left the ground, he reached down to choose up what was presumably a(nother) lacking tooth.
After all, this wasn’t the primary time that White has had a dental extraction mid-game. Who may overlook his dive on the ground in Recreation 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals?
As quickly because the Celtics obtained Derrick White I raved concerning the tradition match as a result of he’s a hockey participant at level guard.
He’s genuineuly prepared to get his face smashed in to perform the workforce objective.
Could also be lacking a tooth, didn’t miss a play. What a dude.pic.twitter.com/T38B3GfmEi
— Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) June 18, 2024
The Celtics guard needed to go and get short-term substitute enamel between the title-clinching win and the workforce’s championship parade.
It seems that White was because of go and have these substitute enamel changed with actual ones a number of weeks in the past however had been procrastinating.
He advised reporters that he’s executed placing it off and goes in Friday.
Derrick White stated his enamel had been short-term. He was imagined to go in a few weeks in the past to get everlasting ones however he stored pushing it again. He’s executed procrastinating after tonight.
“I’m going to go tomorrow,” White stated.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) March 7, 2025
With the 76ers shutting down former MVP Joel Embiid for the rest of the yr, they’ve turned to Andre Drummond as their beginning heart. Drummond is most recognized for his rebounding capacity and has referred to as himself “probably the greatest ever” at hitting the glass.
His capturing is a far completely different story. The previous UConn standout has been the third-worst free-throw shooter in league historical past at 48.5% for his complete profession. It’s not typically that he finds the underside of the web on a non-paint shot.
So naturally, Drummond sank his 18th profession three-pointer on this sport.
I virtually fell out of my chair.
Followers watching this sport had been additionally handled to a regular-season duel between Lonnie Walker IV and Baylor Scheierman. It wouldn’t be honest to say that Scheierman beat Walker IV for a spot this summer season since there wasn’t a direct competitors, however they do play the identical place. Each gamers started the yr enjoying for the Cs within the preseason, however solely the rookie, Scheierman, wound up on the ultimate roster.
After Celtics followers spent plenty of time complaining on-line concerning the workforce’s determination to let him stroll (no pun supposed), Walker IV spent a lot of the yr enjoying in Europe earlier than signing with Philly final month.
It was solely becoming that he had himself a powerful sport with 17 factors off of the 76ers’ bench on Thursday. In the meantime, Scheierman’s 15-point night time got here as a little bit of a shock as there was no assure he’d even see the ground.
This was essentially the most comfy he’s appeared within the NBA, by far, which was evident when he blew a kiss to the visiting bench.
This sport was even wild outdoors of the strains. Throughout TV timeouts, the Celtics will play completely different movies on the Jumbotron to maintain the group entertained. Tonight, followers obtained to witness an absolute massacre in naming cartoon villains.
Luke Kornet placed on a generational efficiency. He was as dialed in as White and Payton Pritchard had been on Wednesday towards the Portland Path Blazers.
The identical can’t be stated for Sam Hauser, who could not have grown up with a TV in his home, with how poorly he carried out.
Let’s all be grateful that the Celtics had been extra like Kornet than Hauser tonight.
