NewsBite

NBA Playoffs: Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers, fourth playoff game

NBA legend takes aim at Australia’s Ben Simmons as Philadelphia 76ers keep title hopes alive with playoff victory over Boston.

5 min read
10:39AMMay 08, 2018
Print
Ben Simmons (#25) of the Philadelphia 76ers looks down at Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics after the players collided in the second quarter. Photo: Getty Images
Ben Simmons (#25) of the Philadelphia 76ers looks down at Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics after the players collided in the second quarter. Photo: Getty Images

Ben Simmons’ Philadelphia 76ers have kept their title hopes alive with a 103-92 victory over Aron Baynes’ Boston Celtics. But Simmons still came under heavy criticism from the likes of NBA great Charles Barkley and his coach, Brett Brown. Here’s how things unfolded.

Will Swanton 10.35am: GAME 4 — PHILADELPHIA 103-92 BOSTON

Icarus has lived to see another day. The Sixers have won a spiteful, physical affair 103-92 to peg their series deficit to 1-3. Joel Embiid has been the trash-talking seven-foot machine who’s made the difference for the Sixers with 15 points, nine rebounds and two assists. Those numbers don’t reflect his presence and impact in revving up the Philly crowd.

TJ McConnell has had a huge game for a relatively little bloke after being rushed into the starting five for the first time in a playoff match.

Ben Simmons has pulled off some beautiful passes and shown a whole lot of urgency in a confidence-building outing of 19 points, 13 rebounds and five assists.

But he’s earned the ire of coach Brett Brown with a fourth-quarter long pass that was unnecessarily risky. Brown glared at Simmons and screamed, “Why?! Why?!”

No team in the history of the NBA Playoffs has won a series from 0-3. The 76ers are still in it, but they’re still flying a little too close to the sun.

“We have nothing to lose,” McConnell says. “We’re trying our hearts out and trying to become that one team (to win from 0-3).”

Will Swanton 9.52am: ‘We’re in your head!’

The 76ers lead 76-65 entering the final quarter. It’s on for young and old. Tense. Frenetic. Trash talking from Jeol Embiid, who’s constantly shouting at Marcus Smart, “We’re in your head!”.

Houston’s two-time NBA champion Kenny Smith has said on the ESPN coverage that a losing series will be the best thing that can happen to Ben Simmons and Embiid in the long term.

“If they won, they’d think they’re better than they are,” Smith says. “Their holes have been exposed. Their summer has been changed. They were going on yachts and mansions but now they’ll be going to the gym.”

Joel Embiid (left) and Ben Simmons, of the Philadelphia 76ers, engage in a bit of push and shove with the Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum (middle) and Marcus Morris (right). Photo: Getty Images
Joel Embiid (left) and Ben Simmons, of the Philadelphia 76ers, engage in a bit of push and shove with the Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum (middle) and Marcus Morris (right). Photo: Getty Images

NBA legend Charles Barkley has added: “This has been an eye-opening experience for Ben. He’s a hell of a player — but he can’t shoot a lick.”

In the first minute of the second half, Simmons has been in position for a lay-up or dunk, right under the hoop, but he’s tried a no-look, behind-the-back pass that has come to nothing. He’s recovered with a dunk and extended hanging onto the rim. And another. He’s had a massive quarter.

Aron Baynes has received one of the biggest cheers of the night for a three-point attempt that air-balled. Simmons has 12 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Embiid is having a blinder and letting the Celtics know. A lippy seven-footer is quite the sight.

9.46am: 76ers extend their lead

9.33am: Playoffs basketball, Melbourne-style

A terrific start to the second half by the Philadelphia 76ers, who are now out to an eight-point lead ... and Australia’s Ben Simmons is right in the thick of it.

Will Swanton 9.10am: Players almost come to blows

The 76ers lead 47-43 at halftime. Nail-biting stuff. Tempers have flared — there’s been push-and-shove after the Celtics’ Terry Rozier shoved Joel Embiid in the chest after slapping JJ Redick on the face.

There’s been a clear change of tactics from the Sixers. They roared into the playoffs on the back of three-point shooting but that’s gone kaput against the Celtics. They’re chasing a lot more points from the blue paint.

Credit to Aron Baynes. He’s possibly 24 minutes from being a starting player for the famous Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals. He hardly sets the joint alight but he’s a strong physical presence who plays a lot of valuable minutes. Baynes and Embiid have collided — and it’s been Embiid staggering away with a sore shoulder.

Ben Simmons has scrambled for a loose ball, fallen on top of the Celtics’ Marcus Smart, drawn the foul and made his two free throws. The incident has forced Smart off the court with his already injured thumb.

Embiid and Rozier are having a classic battle, trading three-pointers after their scuffle and staring daggers.

8.57am: McConnell edges Philly closer

8.36am: Blow for Boston

The Celtics are one down in the back court rotation, with guard Shane Larkin suffering a shoulder injury.

Will Swanton 8.33am: Celtics lead at first break

The Celtics lead 22-21 at the end of the first quarter. Ben Simmons has begun with urgency. He’s played eight of the first 12 minutes for two points, six rebounds, one assist and one turnover.

He usually strolls down the court with possession — in the good times, it looks calm and controlled. In the bad, he can appear casual or aloof. He’s got his skates on today. He’s attempted a jump shot with his first possession, and missed, but the intent has been clear. He’ll be having a crack.

He’s steamed onto a pass for a dunk that has made the Sixers’ faithful roar ... a win will get them back onside. A loss will make it a painfully long off-season for him. The Philadelphia Inquirer has liked him to Icarus — the figure in Greek mythology who dies from his own hubris and complacency.

If the Celtics win, Australia’s Aron Baynes is one step closer to the NBA Finals. He’s been instrumental in shutting down the Sixers’ giant Joel Embiid thus far.

8.12am: Simmons is on the board

Philadelphia takes an 11-7 lead as Ben Simmons gets his first points of the game in spectacular fashion.

8.06am: Embiid kicks things off...

Will Swanton 8am: Pressure on Aussie

We’re about to learn a whole lot about Ben Simmons.

He’s under more pressure than any other player on the court. His confidence is down. Sixers fans are on his back. He’s had three shockers in three defeats. His season could be over in a couple of overs — and if so, it won’t have ended well. The Philadelphia Inquirer has blamed him for the 0-3 deficit in a series the Sixers were expected to win.

Simmons says he’s frustrated. The Celtics have exposed his weaknesses — the unreliable shooting and the shaky free throws. He’s a pass-first player. The Celtics are cutting off his passing options — when he’s free to shoot, he’s reluctant to do so, hence the confusion. They’re willing to foul him, sending him to the free-throw line, suspecting he will miss.

He’s been panicking after a season of calm. The irony? Since Celtics fans taunted him with chants of “Not A Rookie! Not A Rookie!”, he’s been playing like a rookie.

“I’ve got a lot of growing to do,” Simmons says. “It’s the first season I’ve played, the first time I’ve played in the playoffs. I’m learning a lot.”

7.45am: ‘Simmons must rebuild jump shot’

NBA great Kobe Bryant has urged Ben Simmons to rebuild his jump shot technique following the Philadelphia 76ers star’s disappointing showing against the Boston Celtics in the playoff series.

The Boomers superstar was 0 for 4 from the field in game two and made 8 of 14 shots in game three, but the 76ers fell behind 3-0 as the Celtics continually gave Simmons room to shoot.

“Just aesthetically, I would say build that thing anew,” Bryant said in a Fox Sports interview ahead of today’s fourth playoff game in Philadelphia.

Former 76ers guard Allen Iverson called Simmons after game two to share words of encouragement.

“He just said play the game I know how to play,” Simmons said of Iverson’s call. “He gave me some words of encouragement.”

REUTERS

Add your comment to this story

To join the conversation, please Don't have an account? Register

Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout

More related stories

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/us-sports/nba-playoffs-boston-celtics-at-philadelphia-76ers-fourth-playoff-game/news-story/eb255c24e29cf797a1eb3b1edc9b8de6