BOSTON — Malcolm Brogdon was one of the first to turn the page to Game 2 after the Boston Celtics were dealt a loss in their Eastern Conference semifinal series opener against the Philadelphia 76ers.
The veteran guard noted how the group would have to “send a message” to the opposing Sixers when they returned to the floor at TD Garden. Speaking with reporters some nine hours before the start of Game 2 on Wednesday, Brogdon expanded on the message and where he wants it to start.
“On the defensive end,” Brogdon said after Boston’s shootaround at the Auerbach Center. “Coming out and getting stops, making it hard for them, being really physical. We’re capable of doing that. We’re capable of keeping teams under 100 points, so I think that’s what we should strive for.”
The lackluster performance in Game 1 aided to a troubling trend this postseason. The Celtics, who ranked second in defensive rating during the regular season, currently rank 12th in category among the 16 teams to qualify for the postseason. The four teams who rank worse than Boston in defensive rating all were eliminated from the NBA playoffs after the first round.
And while James Harden (45 points on 17-for-30 shooting and 50% from long range) was the key factor, the fact Boston allowed Tyrese Maxey (26 points on 10-for-24), De’Anthony Melton (17 points on 5-for-6 from 3-point range) and Tobias Harris (18 points on 8-for-16) to lead the Joel Embiid-less 76ers was eye-popping. Embiid is trending toward playing in the second of seven possible games, according to multiple reports, which Brogdon confirmed “impacts everything.”
Nevertheless, the Celtics understand what’s on the line especially after Philadelphia got the best of Boston in its own building and now have taken over home court.
“There’s a frustration, there’s an anger, we feel like we were supposed to win that game,” Brogdon said of Monday’s loss. “We feel like we were supposed to win every game. That’s the reality of the type of basketball we played this season. So for us it’s definitely about sending a message, it’s about coming out and playing our basketball.”
If the Celtics can do that, they’ll put themselves in a much better spot to win the best-of-seven. Boston was -500 to win the series before Game 1 and as of Wednesday afternoon, FanDuel Sportsbook had the Green -148 to advance to the conference finals.
