The 76ers’ superstar duo tormented the Celtics at TD Garden, but they weren’t the only visiting players who shined on Christmas Day.
Caleb Martin also was excellent in Philadelphia’s 118-114 upset win over Boston. Tyrese Maxey (33 points) and Joel Embiid (27 points) watched Martin follow in their footsteps by pouring in 23 points, 21 of which scored via a career-high seven 3-pointers.
Embiid was asked about Martin’s clutch performance after the game, and the star big man couldn’t help but take a shot at the C’s.
“He’s playing against Boston, so — he hates them as much as I do,” Embiid told reporters, per Sixers Wire’s Ky Carlin. “No, but he was great.”
Martin does seem to save his best for matchups with the Celtics. Green Teamers surely will remember the 2023 Eastern Conference finals in which Martin averaged 19.3 points per contest over the Miami Heat’s seven-game series win over the Celtics. The veteran forward was one of the main reasons why Boston didn’t head to the NBA Finals for a second consecutive season.
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The Celtics gained some revenge on Martin in the 2024 playoffs when they made very quick work of the Heat in the opening round. Time will tell if the 29-year-old will have a chance to return serve in the 2025 postseason.
Featured image via Eric Canha/Imagn Images
