The Boston Celtics showed up ready for business sin Game 1 of their first round series of the 2026 NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs, and the Philadelphia 76ers did not, resulting in a 123-91 drubbing of the Sixers. But then Philly turned the tables on the Celtics, catching Boston unready for Philadelphia to match their intensity and focus. And between the Sixers exploiting weaknesses Boston was slow to address and an unfavorable early whistle from the officials that appeared to get under their skin, Philly hit all the right notes in Game 2 to win 111-97.
"We did a lot of different things, but we just stuck to our principles," said 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey postgame. "Played harder, played more aggressive, played more physical, played a more playoff basketball game. Paul (George) mentioned that last game that we didn’t make them feel like it was a playoff game – it felt like a walk in the park for them, but it felt like a playoff game to us."
"I think tonight, we did a good job of just making them feel like it was a playoff game as well," he added.
"It does put pressure from the sense of when you get into a possession game against a team like that with multiple shot makers, it comes down to one of the ways you have to defend them is by offense," said Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla of that more physical play from the Sixers. "And I thought we got great looks, thought we missed them."
"And you look at it 91-89, they go on a run. We miss a lot of good shots, and we don’t get them. You have to be able to score in close games against a team like that, and they made more shots on us down the stretch."
Closing will be key to this and frankly all series in this postseason if Boston wants to advance, but preventing the Celtics from putting themselves in a position to be coming from behind in the first place is also critical. Look to increased defensive intensity and focus from Boston in Game 3 to such an end.
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: With 76ers upping intensity in Game 2, can Celtics answer in Game 3?