The Boston Celtics entered the NBA play-offs in the best possible way, beating the Philadelphia 76ers 123 to 91. in the first game of the Eastern Conference first round series, in a match in which Portuguese international Neemias Queta performed very effectively despite limited time on the field.
The Boston team, second in the conference in the regular phase, dominated the match practically from the beginning and was never at a disadvantage on the scoreboard, building a comfortable lead over the four periods against an opponent who felt the absence of Joel Embiid.
Neemias Queta joined the starting team and opened the scoring with a successful free throw. The Portuguese pivot finished with 13 points, without missing a shot from the field, also adding two rebounds, an assist and a throw-in tackle in just 15 minutes of use, conditioned by the high number of personal fouls.
Despite these limitations, Queta proved to be decisive in protecting the basket and in his physical presence in the painted area, contributing to the Celtics’ defensive control and to the early imbalance of the match. The performance also represented a personal maximum in play-off games for the Portuguese player.
On a collective level, Boston showed great offensive consistency, with six players reaching ten points. Jaylen Brown was the game’s top scorer, with 26 points, while Jayson Tatum was close to a triple-double, adding 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.
The 76ers had their most productive player in Tyrese Maxey, with 21 points, but they were never able to keep up with the pace set by the hosts, who had advantages of over three dozen points and controlled the game until the end.
With this impressive triumph at TD Garden, The Celtics take a lead in the series (1-0) and reinforce their status as candidates for a long run in the play-offs, before the second meeting, again in Boston.
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