NBA Summer League 2021: Philadelphia 76ers vs Boston Celtics Prediction & Match Preview - August 14th, 2021
The Boston Celtics will play Philadelphia 76ers in an enticing NBA Summer League game on Saturday.
The Celtics are coming off an emphatic 108-71 win over the Orlando Magic, while the 76ers prevailed 96-88 over fellow Eastern Conference side Atlanta Hawks in their last game.
Match Details
Fixture - Philadelphia 76ers vs Boston Celtics | NBA Las Vegas Summer League 2021.
Date & Time - Saturday, August 14th, 5:00 PM ET (Sunday, August 15th, 2:30 AM IST).
Venue - Cox Pavilion, Las Vegas, NV.
Philadelphia 76ers Preview
Tyrese Maxey was the star of the show for the Philadelphia 76ers against the Atlanta Hawks, pouring in 31 points. Isaiah Joe and Paul Reed contributed 21 and 20 points, respectively, as the 76ers' offense exhibited their full potential against the team they lost the 2021 Eastern Conference semi-finals against.
The Philadelphia 76ers' defense and physicality were the deciding factor in their win against the Hawks, so head coach Brian Adams will hope for a similar effort against their bitter rivals, Boston Celtics. Rebounding has also been the 76ers' strong suit, and they are likely going to dominate the boards against the Celtics.
Key Player- Tyrese Maxey
Tyrese Maxey played 61 games for the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2020-21 season, averaging 15 minutes per game, putting up eight points and two assists per outing. He shot 46% from the field, and is the favorite to retain his backup point guard role in the upcoming campaign.
Maxey's ability to both create shots for himself and his teammates make him a dual-threat in offense, so the Boston Celtics will have to be wary of his iso-plays in Saturday's game.
Philadelphia 76ers predicted lineup
G - Tyrese Maxey, G - Isaiah Joe, F - Jaden Springer, F - Paul Reed, C - Filip Petrusev.
Boston Celtics Preview
Sam Hauser went off for 21 points in 26 minutes, and Aaron Nesmith added 18 as the Boston Celtics ragdolled the Orlando Magic in their last game in the Las Vegas Summer League. Like the Philadelphia 76ers, the Boston Celtics have shown incredible potential in offense, so main team head coach Ime Udoka must be keeping an eye on a few of these talents.
The Boston Celtics have arguably been the best side in the Summer League so far, winning all three games they have played. The trio of Hauser, Nesmith and Payton Pritchard have been exceptional, and will look to continue the good work against the 76ers.
Key Player - Payton Pritchard
Diminutive point guard Payton Pritchard got some good game time under his belt with the Boston Celtics last year, playing 66 games and averaging 19 minutes per outing. He averaged seven points, two rebounds and close to two assists per game, shooting 41% from downtown on a healthy 3.8 attempts per game.
The Boston Celtics expect Pritchard to be one of their key players in the bench unit for the 2021-22 season, and his performances in the Summer League have justified that belief.
Boston Celtics Predicted Lineup
G - Payton Pritchard l G - Carsen Edwards l F - Romeo Langford l F - Aaron Nesmith l C - Bruno Fernando.
76ers vs Celtics Prediction
The Philadelphia 76ers go into the game as the marginal underdogs, considering how good the Boston Celtics have looked in the tournament. Nevertheless, this game between the two traditional rivals should be an enthralling contest, but the Celtics are expected to eke out a narrow win.
Where to watch 76ers vs Celtics?
The Philadelphia 76ers vs Boston Celtics game will be televised nationally on NBA TV. International viewers can also watch the game live on NBA League Pass.
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