Celtics/Sixers Notes: Edgecombe, George, Celtics Focus, Unlikely Heroes, More

The Sixers‘ star rookie, VJ Edgecombe, has created his share of memorable moments during his first year in the league. Many of those have come in Boston’s TD Garden, prompting the question of whether he has one more big Boston performance in him this year in Saturday’s Game 7 matchup, Adam Aaronson writes for the Philly Voice.

“It’s crazy to think about it,” Edgecombe said. “The first game was here. Now we’re in the playoffs playing here. I feel like I’ve been in this building a lot now, and this is my first year… Boston’s a good team, so I know that it’s going to be a real competitive game. So everything else is going to be out the window. All previous times we played here is out of the window. It’s all just focused on tonight.”

The young guard has been particularly impactful once Joel Embiid returned to play, showing improved efficiency despite a lower shot total, DeAntae Prince writes for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

“That’s Joel Embiid, if we’re being so honest. He’s just so good. I don’t think anyone can guard him one-on-one,” Edgecombe said. “So I just try to make his job easier by getting open looks or an if it’s an available pass, the outlet pass.”

We have more notes regarding Game 7:

• Paul George has been upgraded to available for the Sixers, Tony Jones notes for The Athletic (Twitter link). The star wing had previously been downgraded to probable due to an illness. George has averaged 18.2 points in 36.3 minutes per game through the first six games of the series.
• If there’s one buzzword the Celtics are focusing on coming into the matchup, it’s “comfortable,” Steve Buckley writes for The Athletic. As in: “[The Sixers’] comfort level is higher right now,” per Jaylen Brown. “Their confidence is high right now. They’ve got a different swag to them, and we’ve gotta take that (away).” Or as in: “I thought Edgecombe was just too comfortable [in Game 2],” Brown said again. If Boston wants to come out of this series, especially without Jayson Tatum, who was a late scratch from the game, they need to stop looking past the Sixers and focus on their own missteps in the series, Buckley says.
• The anything-can-happen nature of a Game 7 can lead to unlikely heroes, Aaronson writes. As an example, in 2022, Grant Williams emerged as an unlikely hero with 27 points for the Celtics to help seal a victory over the Bucks. Aaronson examines some potential candidates for the Sixers, ultimately landing on Quentin Grimes, Andre Drummond, and, as a dark-horse option, Justin Edwards.
• Home-court advantage is a popular topic late in the season as teams fight for seeding, but the Celtics, in recent years, have seemed more dominant on the road than in TD Garden. Robb examines the phenomenon in a recent mailbag, positing that Boston players may let their guard down a bit in the comfort of their home stadium, relying on three-pointers and “home-run plays,” instead of a greater sense of urgency and intentionality.