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Joe Mazzulla’s Joel Embiid adjustment in Boston Celtics Game 3 win

By Andrew Hughes

MassLive's Brian Robb broke down the adjustments the Boston Celtics made against reigning MVP Joel Embiid during the C's Game 3 win in Philadelphia (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
MassLive's Brian Robb broke down the adjustments the Boston Celtics made against reigning MVP Joel Embiid during the C's Game 3 win in Philadelphia (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /
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Joel Embiid looked like the reigning MVP in Game 3 against the Boston Celtics on May 5, pouring in 30 points, 13 rebounds, and four blocks — but it was all in vain as his 76ers lost in Philadelphia to the defending Eastern Conference championships. The Sixers’ next two highest scorers, James Harden, and Tyrese Maxey, didn’t match Embiid’s total. Embiid had 11 of his points at the free-throw line.

While Embiid was dominant during Game 3, it’s undeniable that his dominance wore off as the contest wore on. In fact, in the fourth quarter, Embiid scored just four points total en route to a double-digit Celtics victory (114-102). How did that happen?

Joe Mazzulla’s adjustments. That’s how.

“By the time the night was over, it seemed like Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown had spent just as much time guarding Joel Embiid as Al Horford,” MassLive’s Brian Robb prefaced before saying, “Grant Williams spent the lion’s share of time on him when he was on the floor but the Celtics were throwing guards at Embiid happily as the game wore on. The intention seemed clear: Make Embiid work hard for everything by sending ball pressure with smaller defenders and unpredictable double teams.”

The Boston Celtics are in better shape with Joel Embiid in the Sixers’ lineup

In Game 1, Harden showed that the Boston Celtics’ kryptonite, guards who can punish the Cs from beyond the arc and find open teammates on the perimeter and on backdoor cuts to the rim, are still capable of single-handedly downing them.

In Game 2 and Game 3, Harden was no longer the ball-dominant guard whose gravity opened up looks for his teammates. Instead, a hobbled Embiid became the offensive fulcrum for Philadelphia — and the Sixers became easier to defend.

Boston is essentially built to beat the Bucks, so any other team with size and physicality in the frontcourt is a favorable matchup for the Celtics as opposed to a team like the Warriors that is built on rapid ball movement and long-range shooting.

Ipso facto, Boston is better off facing Philadelphia with Embiid present in the lineup.

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