Celtics beat the 76ers 123-101 in Jaylen Brown's first game against Boston since the trade — are the Celtics actually better without him?
Paul George dropped 36 for Boston against his old team, Tatum added 21, and the Celtics beat Philly 123-101 on Tuesday night in the first meeting since the summer trade that sent Jaylen Brown to the 76ers. Embiid had a hard fall and an injury scare too. Boston now sits top of the East. I know it is one game in November, but the Celtics looked faster and looser without Brown. Is this a real identity shift for Boston, or just a one-night revenge-game high before the schedule bites?
2 answers
- One game, but the numbers are real
One game proves nothing, but the underlying numbers are worth watching: Boston shot 48% from three and had 31 assists on 44 made baskets, which is a ball-movement profile, not a hot-shooting fluke. The real test is the next ten games — if the assist rate stays above 28 per game without Brown, the identity shift is real. If it drops back to isolation ball, Tuesday was just adrenaline.
- The numbers say it was not that close
Celtics won 123-101 and the box score backs it up — Boston shot better from three and won the rebounding battle by a wide margin. Jaylen Brown had a decent line in his return but the 76ers never really threatened after the third quarter. One game does not settle the trade, but the gap in depth showed. Check the second meeting before drawing conclusions about either roster.