Celtics know what's needed to atone for defensive betrayal in Game 2 debacle

Boston -- In Sunday's series-opener, the Celtics demonstrated exemplary defense. They were connected, repeatedly funneling Tyrese Maxey where they wanted him to go, and did a pretty good job of limiting the Sixers to one shot per possession. Their execution on that side of the ball helped fuel a 123-91 win. In Game 2, the 76ers struck back.

Much like opening night on the TD Garden parquet, VJ Edgecombe stole the show at times. The third-overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft generated a team-best 30 points. He knocked down six of the 10 threes he hoisted in the visitors' 111-97 victory. He also grabbed 10 rebounds, leading Philadelphia in that category as well. Four of those created second-chance opportunities. He also swiped two steals in a matchup where the hosts paid for committing too many live-ball turnovers.

Edgecombe has now leapfrogged Magic Johnson as the youngest player in NBA playoff history to register at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in a playoff game, per ESPN's Matt Williams.

When asked about switching, going smaller, or other options Boston could utilize to try to slow down Philadelphia's fearless rookie moving forward, Jaylen Brown responded, "All of the above. I thought Edgecombe was just too comfortable. He built a rhythm and was able to have an extreme impact on the game."

The other half of the Sixers' backcourt also had a bounce-back performance. It took Maxey 20 shots to put 21 points on the board in Game 1. Tuesday night, he had 29 on 28 field-goal attempts. Yes, his efficiency wasn't there, as he continues to deal with a tendon injury in his right pinky. It's an ailment that continues to plague his shooting. However, he made the ones that mattered most.

The consecutive threes he drilled after the Celtics narrowed their deficit to 91-89 with 5:39 left exemplify that. Those back-to-back triples sparked an 11-0 run that extended the visitors' lead to 102-89 with 4:07 remaining. It was a burst that brought the hosts' momentum to a screeching halt.

"Great players in this league, you just try to make it tough on them," said Jayson Tatum post-game. "They [are] gonna make some shots, they're gonna miss some, you just try to make it as tough as possible, try to make him work for it, and that goes for all the guys on their team."

Where the Celtics must be better on defense moving foward

Now, this first-round rivalry clash moves to the "City of Brotherly Love" with the series tied at one. Boston's shooting 39 percent from the field in Game 2 had a lot to do with that. The hosts missed 37 of the 50 threes they launched Tuesday. Their inability to convert on quality opportunities put considerable pressure on their defense and forced them to live in transition.

Conversely, the 76ers buried 19 of their 39 attempts from behind the arc [49 percent]. They previously reached that mark just three times this season.

However, after the loss, Joe Mazzulla labeled that as "low-hanging fruit." His focus was on what the Celtics can control moving forward.

"Credit to them, they made shots. So, start with that, move to our pick-and-roll defense, whether it's our body position, whether it's the timing of our shifts, the level of our shifts, we adjust from there," voiced Mazzulla.

He also noted the importance of controlling the defensive glass. Giving up 12 offensive rebounds is a bit much, but it's an amount that, depending on context, is a sum Boston can live with. However, Philadelphia parlayed those into 19 second-chance points. Eleven of those came in the second quarter, helping the visitors produce 37 points in the period. Outside of that costly frame, the Celtics held them to 27 points or fewer in the other three quarters.

That's where it starts for the Celtics: controlling the controllables. The 76ers were 27th in offensive rebounds allowed and 24th in second-chance points yielded during the regular season. It's supposed to be an appreciable advantage for Boston in this series, just like it was in the four matchups between these two preceding the playoffs. That hasn't been the case yet.

Better pick-and-roll defense is also required. As Mazzulla noted, credit the opposition for making shots after an abysmal 4/23 [17.4 percent] showing from three-point range in Game 1. But where was the connectivity that kept Philadelphia's backcourt in check in the series opener? It was a tethered unit. Their activity led to one of the worst displays of taking care of the ball this author has seen. Two days later, Boston's drop coverage got torched.

"Whatever they did -- adjustments-wise, it worked," said Neemias Queta in the locker room after the loss. "So, we'll be better next game, and we'll bounce back."

As Adam Bradford of Trojans Wire noted, the Celtics are 3-4 in Game 2s. All seven of those contests took place at TD Garden. They are 20-5 in all other playoff games.

Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and the veteran group that leads this team have too much postseason experience to ride the roller coaster some will board after Tuesday's defeat. Others didn't even wait for the game to finish to do so. However, those responsible for what happens next for the second seed in the East remain even-keeled. There's no time to aim their focus in the wrong direction.

Instead, the Celtics are honing in on what it takes to make Game 3 in Philadelphia look more like the series opener in Boston. That starts with controlling the controllables, better pick-and-roll coverage, and limiting the 76ers' second-chance opportunities. If they do that and avoid another frigid night on offense, they should regain control of this series on Friday.

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