The Sixers bounced back in style from the tough defeat in the first game (123-91) and took Boston’s TD Garden to tie the series at one against the Celtics (97-111). VJ Edgecombe, with an anthological performance, led Philadelphia. The Bahamian rookie scored 30 points with 6/10 three-pointers and 10 rebounds. And that was despite playing in pain after suffering a heavy fall early in the game and having to retire a couple of times during the game.

Edgecombe is the first rookie since Tim Duncan in 1998 to reach those figures and the youngest to do so in the playoffs, surpassing Magic Johnson. Sensational figures if they make him rub shoulders with myths of such stature. “We knew where the shots were going to come from and they wanted me to keep shooting, but anybody can make a play on the court,” said the 20-year-old.

The Sixers again played without Joel Embiid, who is recovering from appendicitis, but Edgecombe was well accompanied by Tyrese Maxey, who went for 29 points and nine assists. “I usually get Edgecombe and Tyrese together and remind them to be super aggressive, to go for it, to keep shooting no matter what,” coach Nick Nurse said. Paul George added another 19 points.

Only ‘the Jays’ and nothing about Hugo

The Celtics were little more than ‘the Jays’. Brown went for 36 points and seven rebounds while Tatum came close to a triple-double with 19+14+9. They were too much on their own. Hugo Gonzalez, who made his playoff debut in the first game, did not play in the second.

Despite dropping their performance so much, shooting a poor 39.3% from the field and allowing their opponent 16 points off turnovers, Boston managed to pull within 89-91 in the final period. However, an 0-11 run with four minutes remaining pulled the Sixers away again, and they would hold on to their lead.