Sixers overwhelmed by Boston Celtics in Game 2 loss, spoiling Joel Embiid’s return

BOSTON — Malcolm Brogdon’s three-point barrage took less than 98 seconds of game time, and swiftly turned a comfortable Celtics cushion over the 76ers into a Game 2 onslaught.

Brogdon’s 23 points off the bench — including three deep shots late in the third quarter — embodied the Celtics’ overwhelming second half, which propelled them to a 121-87 romp Wednesday night at TD Garden to even their Eastern Conference semifinal series at 1-1.

The lopsided outcome spoiled Joel Embiid’s return from a sprained knee the night after he was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player. He finished with 15 points on 4-of-9 shooting, three rebounds, and five blocked shots in 27 minutes, and moved relatively well while playing with a brace under his tights.

“They played with more desperation than us,” Embiid said. “And we didn’t execute what we wanted to. We’ve got to be better. We knew they were going to try to respond after us winning that first game, and we just [weren’t] ready enough. But we’ll fix it.”

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After hanging around in the first half, poor shooting eventually doomed the Sixers. They connected on just 39.2% of their attempts from the floor, and missed 15 of their first 17 three-pointers. Coach Doc Rivers and players lamented poor spacing and ball movement, though Rivers also praised the Celtics’ ball pressure that “ate us up all night.”

“They denied us. They played in our airspace all game,” Rivers said. “We talked a lot about it this morning, talked about it before the game. But you can talk about intensity and force all you want, but when you get on the court and it’s actually being applied to you, you have to be able to handle it. We didn’t handle it very well tonight. We’ll be better.”

Those offensive woes were most catastrophic in the decisive third quarter, when the Celtics outscored the Sixers, 35-16.

After Brogdon’s third three-pointer pushed the lead to 29 points, at 92-63, with 52.2 seconds remaining that period, Boston’s advantage grew to 32 on another Brogdon long ball early in the final period to prompt Rivers to begin emptying the bench. That was part of Boston’s deliberate effort to hoist more shots from beyond the arc (20-of-51), after putting up a season-low 26 in their Game 1 loss.

“We just didn’t generate enough really good shots,” Sixers guard James Harden said. “And they did.”

Tobias Harris led the Sixers with 16 points and seven rebounds. Tyrese Maxey followed his 26-point Game 1 effort by scoring 10 of his 13 points in the second quarter.

The performance by Brogdon, the sixth man of the year, lifted the Celtics on a night All-Star Jayson Tatum (seven points on 1-of-7 shooting) battled foul trouble. Jaylen Brown led Boston with 25 points, including a hot 5-of-6 start from the floor.

Game 3 is Friday night at the Wells Fargo Center, which will be followed by Game 4 on Sunday afternoon in Philly.

Embiid showed some signs of rust in his first game action since April 20, but also did not seem to be laboring despite fighting through an injury that, during the regular season, could keep a player out for 4-to-6 weeks.

“There’s no excuses,” Embiid said. “I’m out here, so I’m good. I’m good to play. ... I‘m not going to be 100% for that whole time, or I’m not going to be fully healed for that whole time. I felt pretty good to play, and I feel like I can help a team defensively and offensively.”

The big man acknowledged he lacked aggressiveness on the offensive end, but focused on being a defensive rim protector even as the Celtics tested Embiid’s mobility and explosiveness by attacking the basket. His first highlight play came when he flew in to swat away a Marcus Smart shot attempt. Embiid finished the first half with five rejections, including on a Brown dunk attempt about five minutes into the second quarter.

Some offensive rhythm arrived for Embiid closer to halftime, when he converted a crafty finish inside, drew a foul in the lane, and then spun for a rim-rocking dunk in the second period’s final minute.

“We knew there were going have to be some kind of growing pains getting him back,” Rivers said. “I’m glad we got it out of the way today. ... [There were] several times had matchups that he was looking to pass. Especially in early in the game, he was really trying to defer. We really don’t want him to do that, but I get it. I’m not that concerned by it.”

The Sixers also adjusted their substitution pattern to aid Embiid’s conditioning. He played seven first-quarter minutes before re-entering in that frame’s final minute. He also came out about midway through the second period, before returning at the 3:09 mark.

The game getting out of hand meant Rivers did not need to monitor his fourth-quarter playing time. Next, Embiid will undergo “around-the-clock” treatment “to make sure I’m ready” for Friday’s Game 3.

“You just kind of cross your fingers and hope that it doesn’t [swell],” Embiid said.

After dropping 45 points in Game 1 in one of the best playoff performances of his career, Harden was unable to replicate that sharpshooting Wednesday. He went 2-of-14 from the floor (0-for-6 from three-point range) for 12 points, but pulled down 10 rebounds and added four assists.

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Harden did not score until hitting a midrange jumper at the 5:28 mark of the first quarter. But he missed all five of his three-point tries before the break, including a late step back that rimmed around and out. He generated eight of his points at the free-throw line.

“Our spacing wasn’t right, and this is a make or miss league,” Harden said. “… We’ve just got to do a better job of knowing where we are on the floor and just allowing each other to have space to generate shots — easier shots.”

Brogdon’s outburst underscored a severe bench discrepancy, as the Sixers reserves accounted for just four combined points through three quarters. That came after combo guard De’Anthony Melton provided a 17-point spark off the bench in Game 1.

The Celtics finished with 54 bench points, with Grant Williams primarily complementing Brogdon with 12 points on 4-of-8 from three-point range, four rebounds, and four assists.

With Embiid’s return, Rivers expanded his rotation to nine players including Melton, Georges Niang, Paul Reed and Jalen McDaniels. Harden played with those bench players for a stretch in the first, before Embiid and Maxey returned. Maxey began the fourth with that group, before the game unraveled and Rivers went to his deep reserves.

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