Hardwood Houdini
Fansided

Boston Celtics new big 3 deliver again

By Joshua Bateman

BOSTON, MA - May 3: Al Horford #42 of the Boston Celtics shoots the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game Two of Round Two of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 3, 2018 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - May 3: Al Horford #42 of the Boston Celtics shoots the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game Two of Round Two of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 3, 2018 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The new emerging big three in Boston delivered again in game two for the Celtics

The Boston Celtics handed the Philadelphia 76ers another playoff loss, successfully protecting their home court over the first two games. Once again, the Celtics had stellar performances from their new top players, while the 76ers could not find enough to account for them.

This was a much more difficult game for the Celtics. The 76ers actually shot quite well, with J.J Redick and Robert Covington having a stellar game across the board. The problems for the 76ers really started off with their top talent, and that is not something the Celtics are worrying about.

While Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons need to figure out how to be at their best, the new look big three on the Celtics continue to dominate. We can probably call them a big three now, because Terry Rozier, Jayson Tatum and Al Horford combined for more points in game one than Allen, Pierce and Garnet ever combined for in the playoffs.

They will always need contributions from other players, but that trio of players combined for 54 points 16 assists and 21 rebounds. Jaylen Brown, Marcus Morris and Marcus Smart all did a great job contributing, but it is the first three that have stepped things up in this series the most.

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Morris has not been as consistent, Smart may not shoot that well again and Brown still needs to get healthy, meaning the Celtics will probably only go as far as Rozier, Tatum and Horford take them in this series.

The best part might be that despite taking on the majority of the offensive responsibility, those three only combined for a total of three turnovers. They have been incredibly effective scorers, and are making sure to avoid hurting the team in any way.

A lot has been said about how much more talented the 76ers are, and how the Celtics are too hurt to keep up. Through two games, however, the three best players so far in this series are on the Celtics, and the 76ers will not win as long as the Celtics are getting that much more out of their talent.

The key is that these guys know what they need to do and know how to do it. The Celtics did a great job of disrupting the 76ers, and preventing them from being at their best. The 76ers are putting up no such resistance to the Celtics, and their top players are blowing away expectations, and changing the way this Celtics team should be evaluated.

You have to expect the 76ers to respond, and leaving TD Garden could cause this series to shift. That being said, if the 76ers do not find a way to contain and disrupt these players, while also thinking about accounting for Brown if he comes back at 100 percent, they will not get back into this series.

The Celtics are proving people need to change what they think about the talent level of this team, but consistency has been too much of a problem to trust it entirely right now. They have done it at home, but maintaining this level of play on the road is the focus right now. The Celtics need these players to continue to come together, because it will not be enough to see them as pure individuals.

Next: Brad Stevens working magic with the rotation

The Celtics have formed a new look big three with some greatness contributions from the supporting cast. They are coming together in special way, and if they can sustain this it does not look like there is much the 76ers will be able to do. There is a lot of basketball that needs to be played, but the Celtics now know what they need to expect from the players remaining on the roster, instilling a confidence that very few thought was possible before this series.

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