Philadelphia 76ers 87 vs 121 Boston Celtics summary: stats and highlights | NBA Playoffs Game 2

The Boston Celtics evened up the Eastern Conference Semifinal with a blowout win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night from TD Garden. Jalen Brown led all scorers with 25 points in the 121-87 victory in Game 2.

Embiid back with his MVP

It was as close as it comes to being a must win game, without being a must win game for the Celtics and Jaylen Brown and company responded. After dropping the series opener to a Joel Embiid-less Sixers team, Boston was going to have to even up the series before going to Philly for the next two games.

Embiid missed Game 1, in the two days leading up to Wednesday’s game he won the MVP and was given the green light to return after missing 13 days with a sprained LCL he suffered in Game 3 of the first round series against the Nets.

On a night where the newly crowned MVP returned to action, and Boston’s superstar scorer, Jayson Tatum was held to just one field goal and 7 total points. That should have meant the Sixers had a great chance of winning Game 2, but that was far from the case.

Brown starts hot for second straight game

Jaylen Brown jumped Boston off the block early on with 13 first quarter points, and in the absence of Tatum who was in foul trouble in the second quarter, it was Marcus Smart stepping up early on. He had 13 of his 15 points in the first half as the Sixers struggled to find the offensive rhythm they had in Game 1 when James Harden went wild.

Harden had just 12 points a game after tying a playoff career high 45 points in the opener. Embiid looked good, but not great in his first game in nearly two weeks. He finished the game with 15 points but wasn’t much of a factor on the boards or the defensive end.

Boston was up eight at half, but nine straight points from Brown stretched the lead out to a distance that would be insurmountable for the Sixers who looked worn out after a grueling win on Monday night.

Game 3 on Friday in Philly

Brown’s run and the Derrick White’s spurts were enough to bury Philly before the fourth quarter even started. The lead jumped out to 27 heading into the final 12 minutes as Brown headed to the bench with the rest of the starters for the fourth quarter.

Brown led all scorers with 25 points in the Game 2 win, as the Boston Celtics tied the series up before hitting the road. The pivotal Game 3 is coming up on Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET from Wells Fargo Center.

Before tonight the Celtics' had not allowed less than 90 points to their opponents this season. 

Brown got the second half going with nine straight points as the C's built up a huge lead in the third. 

The C's held Philly to a playoff low 87 points, in the 34 point blow out victory. 

Smart can defend, Smart can hit threes, but don't forget Smart can get up and throw it down. He had 15 in the game, 13 in the first half. 

Marcus Smart followed up Jaylen Brown's hot start with a great second quarter and helped the Celtics build up a double digit lead. 

This was the only field goal that Jayson Tatum scored all night, but it wouldn't matter for a C's team that shut down the Sixers and got hot from three point range. 

IT'S ALL OVER FROM BOSTON!!! 

THE SERIES IS TIED AT 1-1 HEADING TO PHILLY!

Korkmaz hits both FTs after the foul on Hauser. 

Pritchard with the deep two. 

Springer at the line after the foul on Champagnie and he hits one of two. 

Kornet on the alley oop after a beautiful pass from Pritchard. 

Pritchard with the technical FT after Dedmond got T'd up. 

House Jr. gets the mid range jumper to fall and gets the foul! FT is good. 

Pritchard with the slash to the rack and lay up out of the timeout. 

Timeout Sixers with 2:28 to go. 

Kornet on the short jump hook after the Hauser entry pass. 

Springer pulls up from the mid range and he hits the jumper. 

Kornet with the tip in off the miss from Champaigne. 

Muscala off the bench and he drills the three ball!

Milton gets credit for the lay up after the goaltend by Kornet. 

Pritchard jacks the deep three and that's 18 threes for BOS tonight!

Reed makes the mid range jumper. 

G. Williams out of the timeout and he hits another three ball for Boston! That's four for him. 

Timeout Celtics with 6:47 to go in the fourth quarter. 

Milton on the spin and pull up from the FT line. 

Reed with the offensive board, and put back. 

Brogdon at the line after the foul on Springer and he hits one of two. 

Niang answers back with a three ball. 

Brogdon drills another three ball! It's raining three's in Boston!

R. Williams on the rebound and put back off the Williams miss. 

McDaniels answers back with a three ball but Philly needed a little more of that a lot sooner. 

G. Williams drills the three ball in the corner to start the fourth quarter!

Harris gets a lay up to go but it's too late for the Sixers to get back into this game!

We are headed to the fourth quarter and I would be surprised to see Embiid or any of the Sixers starters in the game out of the gate. 

Brogdon with another three ball and the Celtics are on fire from downtown tonight!

Williams drills a three ball from Brogdon's kick out!!!

Harris jacks a three and stops the bleeding for a moment!

Brogdon drills a three ball after the timeout and it's all going the C's way!

Timeout Sixers after White's steal and score that put the Celtics up 21!

Brogdon drills a three ball and the Sixers look like they are worn out from that Game 1 win. This is getting ugly in Philly. 

Horford on the follow up off the missed lay up by Brown and the lead is up to 16!

Embiid drills the fade away mid range jumper and he needs to get going in the final 15 minutes of this game. 

White quiets the mini run from Philly with a three ball, his third of the game!

Harden finds Tucker dashing baseline and he hits him for the lay up.

Great ball movement from the Sixers out of the timeout and that leads to a Harris three to end the 12-1 run

White streaks through the Philly D, and gets the lay up to go! Biggest lead of the night for Boston and the Sixers will take a timeout with under 6 to go in the third!

G Williams kicked it out to White and he strings the three ball! 10-1 run from Boston!

Harden to the line after the foul on Horford but he hits just one of two FTs after the TO. 

Tatum just picked up his fourth foul after getting tangled up in a screen and hitting Harden in the face. 

Timeout with 7:34 to go in the third. 

Brown at the line after the foul on Tucker and he hits both FTs. That's nine quick ones in the third quarter. 

Brown on the pull up and that's a quick 7 points in just three minutes of play in the third. 

Brown drills a three ball from the top of the key!

Tucker drills a three ball in the corner after the kickout from Maxey!

Brown attacking the rack and this time he throws it down with a monster jam!

Embiid gets the mid range jumper to go and he's got a Sixers high 15. 

Smart starts where he left off in the first half, with a mid range jumper. 

WE ARE BACK FOR THE SECOND HALF OF ACTION FROM TD GARDEN!

The C's are up 8 at half and need to hold off the Sixers to stay alive in the series before heading to Philly. 

Embiid's knee looked just fine right here. He showed quickness, agility and stamina in his first game back in 13 days. 

Don't think just because Marcus Smart is a former DPOY, he can't put numbers up on the other end. He had a big second quarter for the C's. 

Harden had 21 in the first half of Game 1. He has just 11 but has been more intent on distributing the ball after Embiid's return. 

Maxey had a fantastic half after finishing off Game 1 on fire. Tonight he's got 13 and is the perfect compliment to Harden and Embiid. 

This was Tatum's only FG of the first half. The first quarter was played at a choppy pace as FTs filled the start. 

WE ARE HEADED TO HALFTIME WITH THE CELTICS LEADING BY 8!

The first quarter was played at a slow pace after FTs filled the opener, but things picked up in the second quarter. 

Embiid and Maxey both have 13, and Harden has 11 after two quarters. 

Brown has 16 after 13 in the first quarter and Smart has 13. Tatum has been held to just 1 FG, and has 7 points going into the second half!

Harris gets the mid range jumper after the offensive board. 

Smart had been the best player this half not named Jaylen Brown and he gets the floater to go over Maxey!

Embiid with a monster jam down the lane!

Smart came up with the foul, and Horford found White in the corner for the three on the break with under a minute to go!

Smart takes it all on his own, and gets the left haded finger roll to drop. 

White fouled Embiid on the break, and he hits one of two FTs with 1:43 to go in the half. 

Embiid on the pick and roll and Harden found him slashing to the rack!

Maxey with the pump fake on the block and sent Brown flying, and he hits the wide open floater off the glass. 

Maxey on the floater after the spin at the top of the key out of the timeout. 

Horford missed the first triple try, but White tapped the rebound back to him and he spalshes the second attempt from the wing!

Timeout Sixers with 4:41 to go. 

White to the line after the Maxey foul and he hits both FTs. 

Tatum just picked up his third foul after another charge! He's going to the bench presumably for the rest of the quarter with over 5 minutes to go. 

Full court pass to Harden leads to a dunk by Reed who beat everyone down the floor in transition. 

Brown drills the catch and shoot three from the wing out of the timeout!

Maxey running the break after the Embiid block and he missed the lay up but Harris was there with the put back!

Timeout Celtics with 6:41 to go in the first half. 

Embiid at the line and he hits both FTs after the foul on Williams. 

Brogdon hits the floater down the lane and what a first half he's having tonight in Game 2. 

Maxey getting to the bucket on a dash to the rack and he hits the lay up. 

G. Williams was open in the corner and he hits the three after the kickout by R. Williams!

Harris goes coast to coast and gets the lay in to go in transition. 

Harden hits both FTs after the foul on G. Williams. 

Melton sends Brogdon to the line where he hits both FTs and the lead is up to double digits for the first time tonight.  

Tatum to the line and he hits both FTs after the foul on McDaniels!

Maxey back on the board, and he's having a much more active first half then he did before turning it on in the second half of Game 1. 

Brogdon drills the step back jumper and he's got a couple triples to start Game 2!

Maxey driving down the lane and hits the floater from inside the FT line. 

Smart goes up and gets the lob from Tatum and finishes with the reverse alley oop!

The first half comes to a close with the Celtics leading by 6. 

Harden's got 9 and Embiid had another 6 on his return from injury. 

Brown is having another fantastic start, with 13 points, and Smart has chipped in another 7 while Tatum has 5

Smart had his shot blocked by Embiid but got the rebound and hit the fade away over the big man as the clock expired!

Embiid hits a long two point jumper and then falls on his own on his way back down court. He's OK, but doesn't look too comfortable on the brace. 

Williams keeping the possession alive by diving to the floor and finding Smart at the top of the key for the three ball!

Embiid at the line after a touch foul on the perimeter by G. Williams and he hits both FTs. 

Tatum just picked up his second foul after a charge on the offensive end. 

Brogdon drills a pull up three from the top of the key!

Smart slices through the defense and he hits the lay up down the middle of the lane. 

Harden to the line and he hits both FTs out of the timeout. 

Harris gets the floater after Reed found him from the baseline with a behind the back pass! 

Timeout Sixers with under 3 to go in the first quarter. 

Brown back in the lane and he hits the off balance jumper in the lane and he's got 13 already!

Harden at the line after the foul on Brogdon and he hits both FTs. 

Brown wiggles into the lane and he hits the leaner after getting the soft roll off the rim. 

Harden drives to the iron and gets the finger roll to fall in transition. 

Brown to the line after the foul on NIang and he hits both FTs. 

Harden hits his first FG from outside the lane on a step back. 

Brown with the lay up after the offensive board by Williams. 

Celtics take a timeout with 6:48 to go in the first quarter! Choppy start to this game so far. There have been 7 FTs already. 

Tatum at the line and he hits both FTs after the foul on Tucker. 

Harden to the line and he hits one of two FTs for his first points since posting 45 in Game 1. Fout was on Brown, his first. 

Tatum going to the rack, and he gets the bucket and the foul on the up and under on Embiid! FT is good to complete the three point play!

Embiid goes to the line and hits both FTs after the foul on Horford. Those are his first points since Game 3 of the first round, 13 days ago. 

Brown with another bucket, this time driving to the lane and he's got the C's first two FGs tonight. 

Maxey drills a three ball and his hot second half carries over into tonight!

Brown drills a three to start his night! He had a big first quarter to get Boston going in Game 1!

Harris starts the scoring with a baseline floater to get the Sixers going!

WE ARE UNDERWAY IN GAME 2 FROM TD GARDEN!

Joe Mazzulla is going with the same starting five tonight that he went with in Game 1. The problem for the C's wasn't how they started, it was how they finished. 

Embiid back 

Joel Embed is back for tonight’s game after missing Game 1 due to a sprained knee. He injured it back in the series against Brooklyn, but the Sixers took care of business in the final game of the series sweeping the Nets in four games. He had a week and a half to recover but was ruled out for Monday’s game. Tonight, the MVP makes his return with a 1-0 lead thanks to James Harden.

Embiid wins MVP 

The good news doesn’t stop there for Joel Embiid. The Sixers big man was awarded his first NBA MVP last night after getting beat out by Nikola Jokic in the last two years. This year he was the out and out favorite despite the Serbian’s fantastic season. Embiid led the league in scoring with 33.1 a night and grabbed 10.2 rebounds a game and is looking to complete the dream season with a run to the Finals.

Boston back in the building

Jayson Tatum looked like he was on the verge of being the hero in Game 1. Tatum exploded for 39 points in a game in which the Celtics were getting easy bucket after easy bucket with no Embiid down low to protect the rim. He hit two FTs to give the C's the lead with under 30 seconds to go. Tonight is the biggest game of the season, and Tatum needs another monster game. 

Harden takes the stage

Let’s not forget that James Harden is and has been one of the greatest scorers the NBA has ever seen. Before his days of playing Robin to Joel Embiid’s, he was a three time scoring champ and has won an MVP of his own. Now he has had to change roles with one of, if not, the best big man in the game. What did he do in his first full season as a Sixers? Only lead the league in assists as 10.7. James Harden has come under scrutiny over the years, for many things. Being selfish, his weight has been questioned at times, and his dedication to winning, but we are seeing a James Harden that is ready to take on any role needed to carry his team to a Championship. On Monday, that role was game winner 

Game 1 recap

The Sixers came in to Game 1 with out their newly named MVP after he sprained his knee in the first round series against Brooklyn. Philly was still able to sweep the Nets, but their 10 day rest wasn’t enough time for Joel Embiid to return for his LCL injury. That meant James Harden would have to lead the team, and did he ever. He got help from DeAnthony Melton in the first half and Tyrese Maxey in the second, but it was Harden from the opening tip until the final buzzer. He tied a post season high with 45 points including the game winning three pointer with 8 on the clock to send the Sixers celebrating after a shock win in Boston. 

We are live from TD Garden

Hello everyone and welcome to New England where Boston fans will be entering the building extremely nervous after seeing their team lose home court advantage in the series opener. The Sixers came in to Game 1 shorthanded and still pulled out the victory, and tonight they will get back to full strength looking to double their advantage before heading back to Philly. 

Sixers vs Celtics live

The Philadelphia 76ers went into Boston and shocked the Celtics in Game 1, and now have a chance to take a commanding lead in the Eastern Conference Semifinals tonight from TD Garden. AS English will be with you all night providing live coverage, stats, scores and highlights of tonight’s only game in the NBA Playoffs.