By Sean Kennedy
Exactly one week ago, an Evan Turner shot at the buzzer sent the Sixers home from the Garden with a 1-point victory and sent a chasm through Sixers nation, dividing those just happy about a win and those upset the team defeated a Boston team with whom Philadelphia is grappling for lottery position. Now, the teams will run things back at the Wells Fargo Center and we’ll get to see this psychological litmus test unfold all over again. However, the Boston squad the Sixers face tonight will have a much different look than the roster they defeated last Wednesday.
Since losing in dramatic fashion to the Sixers, the Celtics have only played one game, easily defeating an Orlando team spiraling out of control. The game wasn’t significant for the result as much for the fact that it was only the fourth game this season Boston had at their disposal their projected starting backcourt. Rajon Rondo went off for 19 points on 9-11 shooting and 10 assists, showing signs of playing like the former all-star he is on his return from a torn ACL. If Rondo is rounding back into form, it completely changes the complexion of the Celtics on both sides of the ball.
On top of Rondo being out there after sitting the first game against Philadelphia, Boston also welcomed back Avery Bradley, who returned after a 5-game absence with an ankle injury. The second-leading scorer on the team this season at nearly 15 ppg, Bradley remains a tenacious lock-down defender at the guard position, but has improved his shooting this season to league-average rates of 44% from the field and 36% from three. A backcourt of Rondo and Bradley gives the Celtics two capable ballhandlers and a frightening pair in terms of forcing opposing turnovers, which if I recall correctly, has been a bit of a concern for the Sixers of late. Philadelphia faced a Boston team giving increased minutes to the likes of Phil Pressey, Jerryd Bayless, and Gerald Wallace; they won’t have nearly as easy a time of things tonight.
The other potential stumbling block comes in the big form of Jared Sullinger. Sullinger dominated the Sixers on the glass with 8 offensive rebounds for a final line of 24 points and 17 rebounds. The Ohio State product had another double-double last game against the Magic, and is receiving all the minutes he can handle lately as coach Brad Stevens has given his vote of confidence in the big man and encouraged him to take on more of a leadership role within the team. With the Sixers down to just three big men in the rotation due to injuries and organizational tanking maneuvers (I presume), Sullinger might have yet another field day on the boards.
Basically, things come down to whether the Sixers clean up their abysmal play in terms of taking care of the basketball. If they approach the 20s again in the turnover department, ballhawks like Rondo and Bradley will be able to get out in transition to earn easy points for the Celtics. Boston’s offense still isn’t a productive unit in the half court even when fully healthy as they lack any premier outside shooters to help their spacing. So it’s imperative that Philadelphia not allow a ton of points off turnovers and limit the second-chance opportunities for Sullinger and company down low. Unfortunately, those are two areas the Sixers find themselves among the worst in the league; Boston gets their revenge tonight.
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