BE THERE FOR
BOSTON -- Aron Baynes was in the corner to keep Joel Embiid away from the basket.
"You need as much space as you can get," Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens said after Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals about playing against the Philadelphia 76ers. "They're really athletic. They're tough. They're a great defensive team."
In the first round, the Miami Heat shot just 5-for-19 at the rim when Embiid was there to protect it. So Baynes, the Celtics' 6-foot-10 brute of a center who has made four 3-pointers in 376 career regular season games, was often spaced beyond the 3-point line to, hopefully, give his teammates some space to drive.
But if he was going to be out there, if his teammates were going to pass him the ball, and if Embiid had no intention of venturing out to defend him, Baynes was going to shoot. He did so three times, making a pair from the corners.
Terry Rozier comes through once again for the depleted Celtics with 29 points.
And that was how it went for the Celtics on Monday. The No. 1 defensive team in the league had a remarkable offensive performance without three of its best offensive players against another top-three defense. Boston shot 17-for-35 from 3-point range on its way to a 117-101 victory in Game 1, improving to 5-0 at home in the playoffs.
The Celtics have been without Gordon Hayward since the first game of the regular season and without Kyrie Irving for the past seven weeks. And to open the conference semis, they were without Jaylen Brown, who had the team's two highest scoring games (34 and 30 points) in the first round against Milwaukee and suffered a right hamstring strain in the first half of Game 7 on Saturday.
Apparently, the Celtics have to sacrifice a player for every step forward they take this season.
There was little doubt the Celtics would still defend, but how they were going to generate offense against the Sixers without Brown was the question. And it was still a question midway through the second quarter, with the Celtics having scored just 30 points on their first 34 possessions of Game 1.
But then the floodgates opened. Starting with a Semi Ojeleye 3 in transition, the Celtics scored 26 points on their next 13 possessions to take an 11-point lead into the half. The onslaught continued in the second half (56 points on 42 possessions before garbage time kicked in) and the Sixers never had a chance to make it interesting.
Rookie Jayson Tatum goes off for 28 points on 16 shots in Game 1.
There was certainly an element of randomness. Marcus Smart (27 percent on pull-up 3s in the regular season) drained a 3-pointer off the dribble that Dario Saric was happy to let him shoot after a switch. Ojeleye, who got the second-quarter run started, was 3-for-12 from 3-point range in the first round.
"Baynes hit a couple," Sixers guard J.J. Redick said afterward. "Some of it was just not our night."
The Sixers also had no answer for the brilliance of Al Horford, the Celtics' offensive fulcrum who had Philly wrapped around his finger for most of the night, scoring 26 points on 10-for-12 shooting and adding four assists. He took advantage of mismatches when he got them and double-teams when they came. When he played center against Embiid, he spaced the floor and drained a pair of 3s himself.
"I feel like he's really locked in," Stevens said of Horford. "He's done a good job of knowing when to roll and post and play an interior spot, and then knowing when to pop and space."
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Image Ben Simmons rocks the rim twice in Boston 0:42 NBA: Ben Simmons is using his size to his advantage, attacking the rim in game one against the Celtics.
BEN Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers have been given a serious reality check, with the Boston Celtics delivering a game-one beatdown to open the Eastern Conference semi-finals with a dominant victory at home.
The Celtics won every quarter and pulled away in the fourth quarter to win 117-101 and draw first blood in the best-of-seven series.
Simmons had flashes of brilliance but struggled to impose himself on the game as he’d done in the Sixers’ opening round series win over the Miami Heat.
The Australian star was also targeted by a ruthless home crowd, who launched into the rookie-of-the-year favourite with key targeted chants.
Simmons, who was drafted two years ago but missed all of last season through injury, has been the centre of a fierce debate about his rookie status - and whether he deserves to be named rookie of the year ahead of Utah’s Donovan Mitchell, who was drafted this year.
Celtics fans chanting 🗣"not a rookie" at Ben Simmons 😂 pic.twitter.com/RUQUAgDiDA — Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 1, 2018
As he went to the line to shoot free throws, Simmons was greeted with chants of “not a rookie” - before Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, drafted No.2 overall this year, was seranaded with “he’s a rookie” in a pointed barb at the Australian.
Welcome to Game 1 in Boston pic.twitter.com/1Wou2G82D1 — Ben Rohrbach (@brohrbach) April 30, 2018
Simmons finished with 18 points, seven boards and six rebounds while playing a team-high 42 minutes.
But crucially he had a game high seven turnovers and didn’t look his composed self.
A frustrated Simmons admitted post-game to his team being rusty after a six-day break, and said his team got “smacked muliple times” by the Celtics.
“They came ready to play and we were very rusty,” Simmons told reporters.
“We got smacked multiple times and we didn’t react. I think that’s what it was.”
The Celtics were led by young guard Terry Rozier who stuffed the stat sheet with 29 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals as the home team led almost from start to finish.
Ben Simmons goes through the legs 0:20 NBA: Ben Simmons got a little creative with this assist going through the legs to find Dario Saric under the basket for an easy lay-up.
Boston lead 25-22 after the first quarter, and won every subsequent quarter after that - including a 31-23 second quarter which gave them a serious boost leading into the break which they never gave back.
For the Celtics, Tatum added 28 points and centre Al Horford had 26 while playing rugged defence on Philadelphia star Joel Embiid.
Australian big man Aron Baynes started for the Celtics and finished with six rebounds and six points - both coming from three-point shots.
Embiid posted 31 points and 13 rebounds, and JJ Redick had 20.
Re-live coverage in our blog below
Originally published as Simmons roasted by fans as Celtics take game one
NBA: Ben Simmons got a little creative with this assist going through the legs to find Dario Saric under the basket for an easy lay-up.
BEN Simmons’ 76ers are 1-0 down in their Eastern Conference semi-final against Boston. The Aussie star was targeted by Boston’s players and fans with some needling tactics that appeared to make things difficult for the rookie of the year favourite. Simmons dug deep to finish with 18 points, but his team never looked like challenging the Celtics down the stretch and eventually fell 117-101.
Terry Rozier (29 points) was the top scorer in a dazzling Celtics offensive display at the TD Garden, with Al Horford and Jayson Tatum also making hefty contributions.
Horford finished with 26 points while Tatum added 28 points as Boston surged into a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series with a statement victory.
The third-seeded Sixers had advanced to the semi-finals after a confident demolition of Miami in the opening round.
But the Celtics line-up look to be a vastly more challenging proposition for the Sixers, who saw Joel Embiid top score with 31 points while pulling down 13 rebounds.
Yet it was the shooting prowess of Celtics ace Rozier that caught the eye as the 24-year-old point guard kept Boston firmly on track for a well-earned win.
Boston, who advanced to the semi-finals after a gruelling seven-game series win over Milwaukee, have regrouped superbly after a slew of injuries which means they are without stars Kyrie Irving, Jaylen Brown and Gordon Hayward.
Rozier’s 29-point haul included 21 points from three-point range, a 77.8 conversion percentage from outside the arc.
Simmons-Smart get physical as Celtics cruise to 1-0 lead Philadelphia was completely outplayed in Boston as the Celtics took a 1-0 series lead with a 117-101 win. It came after Ben Simmons and Marcus Smart got into it during a last quarter scrap. With the Celtics enjoying a safe 15-point buffer down the stretch, Simmons appeared to catch Smart in the face with a stray elbow as the pair jostled for rebounding position. Smart responded by shoving Simmons with both hands before continuing to go after the Australian as Simmons walked away. Sixers forward Dario Saric stood up to Smart as he chased Simmons and continued to yell at the 21-year-old. Simmons was awarded the foul and went on to convert two free throws at the other end of the court. He finished the game with 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists — but his team had no answers to the Celtics down the stretch. Joel Embiid led Philadelphia with 31 points and 13 rebounds. Terry Rozier (29 points) and Jayson Tatum (28) did the damage for the Celtics. Marcus Smart and Ben Simmons get tangled up. pic.twitter.com/fLjdYcpAgG — RealGM (@RealGM) May 1, 2018 Share
‘Wow’ Simmons’ sizzling double nutmeg Ben Simmons left commentators stunned when he delivered a dime to Dario Saric that went between his own legs and the legs of Celtics star Al Horford. Ben Simmons' double nutmeg is incredible! pic.twitter.com/FeCJDs8iw2 — SB Nation (@SBNation) May 1, 2018 Ben Simmons WOW!!
Under his legs and the Celtics defender legs!!!!#PhilaUnite #HereTheyCome pic.twitter.com/ZuHBHbDC9S — Jeff Skversky 6abc (@JeffSkversky) May 1, 2018 Share
Celtics fans throw shade at Ben Simmons Boston fans chanted “not a rookie” at Ben Simmons as the Celtics took control in the third quarter. Simmons was at the foul line in the third quarter as Boston crowd screamed “not a rookie”. The chant comes after Simmons’ Rookie Of The Year rival Donovan Mitchell suggested last month Simmons should not be eligible for the award after the Sixers star missed his entire first season in the league because of injury. Simmons remains the favourite for the rookie honour, despite Utah’s Mitchell delivering massively for the Jazz so far in the playoffs. The chant would have been impossible for Simmons to ignore, but he drained his last free throw under the immense pressure. It wasn’t enough to lift his team, however, with the 76ers trailing 87-75 at three-quarter time. 😂😂😂😂 — Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) May 1, 2018 Celtics fans chanting 🗣"not a rookie" at Ben Simmons 😂 pic.twitter.com/RUQUAgDiDA — Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 1, 2018 Celtics fans chant “Not A Rookie” at Ben Simmons while at the line... pic.twitter.com/9YB8DXptag — Marc Farzetta (@MarcFarzetta) May 1, 2018 Y'all hear that? C's crowd chanting "Not a rookie" at Ben Simmons 😂.
Somewhere in a Houston hotel room, Donovan Mitchell is smiling. — Marc Ryan (@MarcRyanOnAir) May 1, 2018 Wow the Celtics fans are really owning Ben Simmons with that chant about a technicality argument for an award their guy is the third-most likely to win. — Sean Highkin (@highkin) May 1, 2018 Share
Simmons’ ‘pain in the ass’ twist Ben Simmons struggled to make an impact on offence as the Sixers trailed 56-45 at half time. Boston’s Marcus Smart put the clamps on the Aussie star, who finished the half with eight points, one rebound and two assists. NBA legend Charles Barkley said before the game that it would be a “difficult” series for Simmons because of Boston’s impressive list of defenders and said Smart would be an annoying match-up for the Aussie point guard. He was right. However, Smart was spotted wincing in pain just before half time after aggravating a thumb injury. He remained on the court looking at his thumb long after his teammates had moved to the locker room. Smart was able to return in the second half and appeared to be able to play without any discomfort in his thumb. Marcus Smart is being a wonderful pain in ass for Ben Simmons. — Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) May 1, 2018 #Celtics Marcus Smart has aggravated the thumb and he's in significant pain as we go to halftime. Boston leads 56-45. pic.twitter.com/XTWLD9fp34 — Tom Leyden (@TomLeyden) May 1, 2018 Share
Simmons’ rough start Ben Simmons coughed up three turnovers in the first eight minutes against Boston, including an offensive charging foul. Simmons had one point from the free throw line and nothing else good on his stats sheet before Philadelphia called a time out down 21-13 in the first quarter. Ben Simmons has more turnovers (3) through the first eight minutes than he has points, assists and rebounds combined (1). — Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) May 1, 2018 “That’s his third turnover,” NBA hall-of-famer Kevin McHale told TNT. “Against the heat he looked a little more under control, a little more steady. He looks a little bit shaky starting off (tonight).” Philly recovered to finish the quarter down 25-22, on the back of five points from Joel Embiid. Share
Simmons’ ultimate Aussie strut Ben Simmons got heads turning as he arrived in Boston for the 76ers game one showdown with the Celtics at TD Garden. The 21-year-old Aussie rocked up sporting a flannelette shirt and a giant, golden Australian boxing kangaroo pendant hanging from a chain around his neck. The Sixers star was also spotted psyching up for the contest by cranking some ACDC tunes during his warm-up and stretches. According to a report, Simmons was listening to ACDC’s TNT. The great man @BenSimmons25 rocking the flanno and boxing kangaroo chain. https://t.co/pfBHEpycAL — Trenton Akers (@TrentonAkers) April 30, 2018 Ben Simmons and his boxing kangaroo chain pic.twitter.com/s19WWn8bap — Steve Noah (@Steve_OS) April 30, 2018 Ben Simmons repping the homeland on his pre-game playlist while getting stretched.
T.N.T., AC/DC.
🇦🇺 #AussieRockNRoll — Brian Seltzer (@brianseltzer) April 30, 2018 Share
