Celtics Wrap: Boston Falls Short In Comeback, Drops Second Straight Game

The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers battled for first place in the Eastern Conference with the Sixers coming out on top 106-103 at the Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday night.

With the loss, the Celtics fell to 5-2 on the season, while the Sixers improved to 6-1 on the campaign.

Check out the full box score here.

ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
Coming off their first loss of the season, the Celtics struggled offensively, shooting just 39.6% from the field, and didn’t have an answer defensively for the Sixers duo of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

The reigning MVP led the way for the Sixers with 27 points and 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Maxey added 25 points, nine rebounds and five assists in Philadelphia’s win.

For the Celtics, Kristaps Porzingis led all scorers, going 10-for-18 from the field for 29 points, along with five rebounds and Jayson Tatum added 16 points in an off night. Unfortunately for Boston, Jaylen Brown couldn’t find a rhythm in the game, going 4-for-13 from the field and finishing the night with 11 points.

The Celtics trailed by 15 points and almost completed the comeback but ultimately fell short.

STARS OF THE GAME
— After missing the last two games following the birth of his second child, Derrick White made an immediate impact in the Celtics with 19 points and five assists.

— Off the bench, Sam Hauser led the reserve unit with 13 points, along with four rebounds and one block.

— Porzingis led the Celtics scoring with 29 points going 10-for-18 from the field with five rebounds and three assists.

WAGER WATCH
FanDuel Sportsbook set the odds that Tatum would record a double-double in the game at +120. With his fifth double-double this season, Tatum cleared those odds with 16 points and 15 rebounds in the Celtics loss. A $100 wager on Tatum would have netted a $220 payout.

UP NEXT
The Celtics return home following the conclusion of their three-game road trip to host the Brooklyn Nets in their first game of the NBA In-Season Tournament on Friday night. Tip off from TD Garden is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.