Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown every scored 35 factors and the Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 126-117 on Tuesday night time within the opening sport of the NBA common season.
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Malcolm Brogdon added 16 factors and Grant Williams completed with 15 because the defending Japanese Convention champions gave interim coach Joe Mazzulla a victory in his debut.
Mazzulla has been tasked with main the group after Ime Udoka was suspended for the season following an investigation by a legislation agency that discovered he dedicated a number of violations of group insurance policies.
Mazzulla efficiently led a Celtics group that very a lot resembled the one which made a shock run to the NBA Finals a season in the past.
Boston opened up a 110-97 lead with 8 minutes to play and by no means trailed once more.
James Harden scored 35 factors — his most since becoming a member of the 76ers final season — together with 12 of 12 from the free throw line. He additionally had 5 3-pointers.
Joel Embiid added 26 factors and 15 rebounds. Tyrese Maxey completed with 21 factors.
Mazzulla has vowed to maintain the give attention to constructing upon the tradition Udoka established on the court docket as a rookie head coach final season.
He insists that it will likely be achieved totally on the defensive finish of the ground, however the offense was the story for the Celtics on Tuesday with 56% taking pictures from the sphere.
With large man Robert Williams sidelined as he recovers from offseason surgical procedure on his knee, the Celtics caught with the identical beginning lineup they employed through the preseason, taking part in defensive stalwart Derrick White alongside Marcus Good, Tatum, Brown and Al Horford.
The smaller group sped Philadelphia up at occasions, forcing the 76ers into 14 turnovers for the sport, resulting in 22 Boston factors.
The 76ers need to take care of the highest groups within the Japanese Convention with Harden embarking on his first full season in Philadelphia after being swapped for Ben Simmons late final season in a commerce with Brooklyn.
Harden seemed rejuvenated coming off a season outlined by hamstring accidents that hampered his effectiveness in a truncated 21 regular-season video games with the Sixers final season.
The ten-time All-Star annoyed the Celtics, displaying the mobility he was lacking a 12 months in the past. He was in a position to get to the free-throw line usually. He additionally was efficient from the 3-point line, connecting on 4 within the first half, together with a rainbow heave from the highest of the important thing to beat the shot clock late within the second quarter.