Jayson Tatum dominates in return to playoffs: Takeaways from Celtics-76ers Game 1

Atlantic76ersCelticsKnicksNetsRaptorsCentralBucksBullsCavaliersPacersPistonsSoutheastHawksHeatHornetsMagicWizardsSouthwestGrizzliesMavericksPelicansRocketsSpursNorthwestJazzNuggetsThunderTimberwolvesTrail BlazersPacificClippersKingsLakersSunsWarriorsScores & ScheduleStandingsThe Bounce NewsletterNBA DraftPodcastsFantasyNBA OddsNBA PicksFirst-Round PredictionsHollinger's Playoff PreviewThe Bucks' Season From HellPlayer Poll: Who Will Win Title?NBA Playoffs Jayson Tatum made his return to the playoffs after being injured in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season. Winslow Townson / Getty Images Share article1Welcome back to the playoffs, Jayson Tatum. Playing in the postseason for the first time since tearing an Achilles tendon in Game 4 of the 2025 Eastern Conference semifinals, the Boston Celtics forward was in rare form as he posted 21 points, eight rebounds and four assists in the first half to spark a 123-91 rout of the Philadelphia 76ers inside TD Garden on Sunday afternoon. The Game 1 victory gives the second-seeded Celtics (14-3 in their last 17 games) early control of their first-round series against the seventh-seeded 76ers, who were once again playing without Joel Embiid following an emergency appendectomy two weeks ago. The Celtics took a 64-46 lead into the halftime break thanks to Tatum’s early domination — he finished with 25 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists on 9-of-17 shooting — and controlled the game from there. Here are some takeaways with Game 2 set for Tuesday night in Boston: Tatum will draw many of the headlines, as he should, after scoring 21 points in the first half. But the Celtics’ defense also stood tall. Without Embiid, the 76ers wanted to play faster. The Celtics largely prevented them from getting out in transition while limiting the talented backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe to 34 combined points on 14-for-36 shooting. Overall, Boston held Philadelphia to 38.9 percent shooting from the field, including 17.4 percent from the 3-point arc. The 76ers will shoot better from outside the arc at some point in the series. Still, Boston did what it could to force Philadelphia into difficult situations. Quentin Grimes, the 76ers’ biggest scoring threat off the bench, didn’t even get a shot off until the fourth quarter. Maxey, who averages nearly nine 3-point attempts per game, only found four 3-point attempts over his 37 minutes played. Over the first three quarters, half of Philadelphia’s 3-point attempts came from Edgecombe (35.4 percent on 3s this season) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (36 percent). Joe Mazzulla’s team was willing to live with those looks. The Celtics typically don’t force many turnovers, but had four takeaways over the first five minutes while quickly opening a double-digit lead. They also did a solid job taking care of the ball, committing just eight turnovers, including five in the first half. That helped them control the tempo of the game. They could have done a better job on the defensive glass early, but held relentless rebounder Andre Drummond without an offensive board over his 21 minutes. — Jay King, Celtics beat writer Heading into their first-round series against the Celtics, the 76ers knew the math problem they faced. As a team that doesn’t take or make a bunch of 3s, they know they have to shoot well if the series is going to be close. By the middle of the fourth quarter, the Sixers were 3 of 20 from 3-point range. During the same time frame, the Celtics had 13 makes from distance. To be sure, the shooting on Sunday was a minuscule issue for the Sixers in what turned out to be a Game 1 shredding. But it’s one of the things Philadelphia has a chance to control moving forward. Particularly in the first half, the 76ers missed a lot of wide-open looks. And those were looks that could have made things at least a little interesting beyond the six-minute mark of the first quarter. Things went off the proverbial rails from there, so it didn’t matter how well the Sixers did or didn’t shoot as the game progressed. If they are going to be competitive in Tuesday’s Game 2, however, shots have to start falling. Otherwise, the path to winning the series gets narrow, indeed. — Tony Jones, Sixers beat writer Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms