On the eve of game one of the first-round playoff series between the Celtics and 76ers, it feels like a long shot to think we’ll see Joel Embiid in this series. Even with the former MVP, it would be a stretch to think Philly could actually win the series, but they could at least pose some potential issues for Boston.
But without Embiid, their offense becomes pretty one-dimensional, relying on Tyrese Maxey to create almost everything. Maxey has had a great season that will likely be rewarded with a well-deserved All-NBA berth, but without his running mate, he’s just going to have to do too much, and the Celtics need to make sure they don’t let him.
Maxey averaged over 30 points a game against the Celtics this season, but he did so while shooting just over 40% from the field. High volume led to some big numbers, but it was hardly efficient.Â
Celtics need to make Maxey work for every inch
The Celtics must ensure that continues to be the case. They need to make Tyrese work for every inch on the floor, and do their best to stick to his body, getting into his dribble well beyond the three-point line. They can’t let him get a running start going downhill, or there’s no hope of staying in front of him.
If they can make him go side-to-side and force him into tough jump shots, they can absolutely live with that. Without puncturing the lane, he may hurt the Celtics, but he’s not going to kill them. They can shrug off the other shooters and help when needed, but the more they can make him work with individuals, the better.
In the regular season, Maxey saw a lot of Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, and Baylor Scheierman, but those guys aren’t safe bets to draw big minutes or even play at all. We’ll probably see Derrick White and Jaylen Brown doing most of the heavy lifting on Maxey, with Scheierman and maybe Walsh mixing in off the bench.
Expect to see a total team effort from Boston
While those guys are going to make him work the most, it’s going to take a village. He’s going to try to attack Sam Hauser and hide on him on the other end, but Boston has to be ready. Involve Sam in early actions off the ball to get him open for threes and use him as a screener. Put extra tread on Maxey’s tires on the defensive end.
Bring Payton Pritchard in and have him pick up Maxey full court. Have Neemias Queta blitzing or playing at the level while a defender pinches in from the elbow. If he’s hurting our drop coverage, try Jayson Tatum as the small-ball center.
Celtics have advantages all over the court
The point is, this team has plenty of options, and almost everyone who sees the floor is a good defender. They should be able to make life miserable for Maxey and make it so that he’s exhausted by crunch time.
Get the ball out of his hands early and make the others beat you. Dare Paul George to turn back the clock. Force VJ Edgecomb into the future. See if guys like Quentin Grimes and Kelly Oubre can consistently make you pay. The Sixers have a lot more liabilities on both ends of the floor than the Celtics, so they need to take advantage in a big way.
Maxey is a great player, and even with all of this extra attention, he’s going to get his numbers and make an impact. But the Celtics have the ability to limit him and stop him from single-handedly beating them. As long as they make him work and don’t give up anything easy, they should be able to contain Philly’s best player, and that should render this series light work.
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