Friday's Emirates NBA Cup opener between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers did not disappoint. It was an absolute rollercoaster of a game with Boston eventually escaping with a one-point victory, 109-108.
The First Quarter was the Celtics’ Magnum Opus
This game looked like it was going to be an absolute rout after its first 12 minutes. The Celtics, led by Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard, looked unstoppable. They defended, ran in transition, and converted easy buckets. This was probably the most fluid the offense has looked so far this season.
It was Euphoric stuff.
Brown and Pritchard were getting anything they wanted, combining to score 24 points on 11-14 from the field.