The Boston Celtics will be looking to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time this season when they meet the visiting Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.
The Celtics didn’t have Jayson Tatum (illness) for Monday night’s 108-104 loss at Orlando and turned in one of their worst performances of the season.
Boston had a 15-point halftime lead against a Magic team that was without three of its top four scorers, but the Celtics were outscored 65-46 in the final two quarters. Orlando’s Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are each recovering from a torn oblique and the Magic lost sixth man Moritz Wagner to a torn ACL on Saturday.
Tatum, who leads the Celtics in scoring, rebounding and assists, was scratched minutes before the opening tip. Boston set season lows for points, (104), assists (13), 3-point attempts (32) and made 3-pointers (eight) in the loss.
Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said Orlando’s physical play reminded him of the postseason.
“That’s what the playoffs are,” he said. “That’s what it’s about and you have to be able to execute under those circumstances.
“(We) gave up a 36-point third quarter. A lot of that was in transition. And then once it’s a close game, give a team like that life, they respond.”
Boston’s Jaylen Brown finished with 35 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
“Obviously (Tatum) is a big part of our offense, but I thought we got off to a great start,” Brown said. “In the first half the ball was moving (and) we played well. In the second half we didn’t meet the level of physicality that we need to in certain spots, so we have to be better in that regard.
“They set the tone. They were allowed to use their hands, and the team that sets the tone often gets the game called in their favor. It felt like we fouled them more than we liked. I was in foul trouble a little bit trying to use my physicality. But they were allowed to be physical, and that had an effect on us in the second half.”
The 76ers will be trying to build more momentum on Christmas Day after they beat San Antonio 111-106 Monday to collect their fifth victory in their past seven games. Philadelphia prevailed even though Joel Embiid was ejected in the second quarter after receiving two technical fouls.
“Over the last 10 or 12 games we’ve played pretty well in most of them,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse said. “Whatever happens we just keep on going.”
Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey had 32 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in the win. Maxey, who scored 12 of his team’s 27 points in the fourth quarter, said he didn’t feel well during the pregame shootaround but was better by game time.
“I’m not a big medicine guy,” Maxey said. “I don’t really like taking medicine. I just laid down, took a nap and relaxed a little bit. I came back and we won the game. That was the biggest emphasis.”
This will be the first meeting between the Celtics and 76ers this season. Boston is averaging 119.1 points per game and allowing an average of 109.6. Philadelphia is scoring 105.9 per game and giving up 110.4.
