By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher
Both the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics are considered the favorites to win the Eastern Conference. The Celtics were able to get the early lead in the series in the first game of the NBA season.
The Celtics defeated the 76ers, 105-87, on Tuesday night at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.
Boston improved to 1-0 on the young season. Philadelphia fell to 0-1.
“This is not a rivalry… They always kick our a**,” 76ers star Joel Embiid said after the game.
Second-year star Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 23 points. He also had nine rebounds, three assists, and one steal.
Tatum was one of five Boston players, who scored in double-figures. Besides the 20-year-old St. Louis, Missouri native, Marcus Morris had 16 points and Jaylen Brown had 12 points.
Terry Rozier contributed 11 points and Gordon Hayward had 10 points. This was Hayward’s second game since his huge free agent signing in the summer of 2017.
Last year in the season-opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers, he suffered a severe injury that cost him the season.
Boston had 44 bench points. Morris led the bench with his 16 points, as he also had 10 rebounds, and two steals.
Embiid led the 76ers with 23 points. He also had 10 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and two blocks.
He was one of three Philadelphia players, who scored in double-figures. Besides the 24-year-old Cameroon native, Ben Simmons had 19 points and JJ Redick had 16 points.
Redick — who was a starter last year and accepted a bench role as the coaching staff made Markelle Fultz the starter — led the bench with 16 points. He also had two rebounds and one assist.
Philadelphia had 26 bench points.
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