Joel Embiid dropped 33 points and the Philadelphia 76ers stormed back to beat the Boston Celtics 113-97 at TD Garden on Tuesday night, keeping their playoff hopes very much alive. The road win cuts Boston's series lead to 3-2, sends things back to Philadelphia for Game 6, and means the Celtics will have to wait at least a few more days before thinking about the next round.
Embiid Takes Over In Second Half
Embiid went 12-for-23 from the field and 9-for-10 at the line, playing like a guy who did not get the memo that this was supposed to be Boston's closeout party. Tyrese Maxey backed him up with 25 points and 10 rebounds, while Paul George added 16 points and nine boards as the Sixers controlled the glass and the tempo.
According to ESPN, Philadelphia shot 50 percent as a team and blitzed Boston 28-11 in the fourth quarter, wiping out what had been a 13-point Celtics lead and turning Game 5 into a late-night Philly heist on Causeway Street.
Embiid Back From Surgery, Celtics' Stars
This was only Embiid's second game back after an emergency appendectomy, and he saved his best stuff for crunch time. He scored 10 points in the third quarter and eight more in the fourth, steadying the Sixers just as the Celtics looked ready to pull away.
On the other side, Jayson Tatum finished with 24 points and 16 rebounds, while Jaylen Brown poured in 22 points for Boston, as reported by Boston 25 News. For three quarters, that duo kept the Celtics in control before the wheels came off late.
What's Next
Game 6 shifts to Philadelphia on Thursday night, where the 76ers will try to push this thing to a decisive Game 7 back at TD Garden on Saturday. Both sides will be focused on tightening up the defensive boards and cutting down on clean perimeter looks after a wildly swingy Game 5, per The Washington Post.
