Despite the absence of their superstar center Joel Embiid, the Philadelphia 76ers knocked off the Boston Celtics inside TD Garden for a Game 1 victory to begin this Eastern Conference Semifinals duel. Tying a playoff career-high with 45 points, James Harden was brilliant. De’Anthony Melton drilled five triples and scored 17 points off the bench. P.J. Tucker and Tobias Harris embraced the grunge work and helped redirect things defensively after a dismal first quarter in that regard.
Here are three observations after the Sixers’ exhilarating, resilient Game 1 win.
James Harden, finding space
Throughout its first-round series against the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia’s star point guard was a mess trying to score inside the arc.