Sixers outlast Boston Celtics in matchup of teams decimated by COVID-19 and injuries

BOSTON — Doc Rivers will tell you that the 76ers are taking their current shorthanded situation day by day right now.

“Not just us,” the head coach said. “Boston is going through it. It’s all uncharted. Each year so far with the COVID, it just feels like it’s different. And this is another one. So we just learn as we go.”

There was an NBA shutdown, which followed with games in a bubble environment back in the summer of 2020, soon after the pandemic took hold of the world. Teams played amid steep restrictions and without fans for most of last season. Things got somewhat back to normal this season, with fans in the stands and limited restrictions, before a league-wide COVID-19 outbreak broke out last month with the Sixers.

It has led to numerous teams playing without key players who are in the COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

» READ MORE: Sixers’ Doc Rivers on Ben Simmons’ absence: ‘You see the glaring holes that he leaves us’

The Sixers’ 108-103 victory over the Celtics Monday night at TD Garden was a perfect example.

Danny Green’s three-pointer gave the Sixers a 99-98 lead with 1 minute, 43 seconds left. Then Joel Embiid scored their final nine points, including a huge turnaround jumper, and then stole Marcus Smart’s inbound pass with 2.5 seconds remaining to clinch the win.

Embiid finished with a game-high 41 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, four blocks and two steals. Seventeen of his points came in the fourth quarter. Seth Curry and Tobias Harris added 26 and 25, respectively.

Jaylen Brown paced the Celtics with 30 points.

The combined 92 points by Embiid, Curry and Harris are the most by a trio of NBA teammates this season. However, the Sixers produced one bench point, the lowest bench total since the Miami Heat had zero bench points against the Sixers in April 2015, in the final game of the season.

Boston outscored the Sixers’ bench, 18-1, with Isaiah Joe scoring the lone point.

But this game will be remembered for all the absences caused by the coronavirus and injuries. The Sixers had 10 players available. Boston played with 11 after playing with just 10 on Saturday night against the New York Knicks.

And both of those numbers were much better than one would have expected earlier in the day. The Sixers (16-15) had Sunday night’s home game against the New Orleans Pelicans postponed becausse they didn’t have the mandatory eight players available.

However, Embiid (sprained right ankle) and Green (right hip soreness) played after being game-time decisions. The Sixers also called up second-year player Paul Reed and two-way rookie Aaron Henry from the Delaware Blue Coats, their NBA G League affiliate. Philly also signed Myles Powell to a two-way contract on Sunday night.

At one point, there was a sense the Celtics would only have eight available players Monday night. But Jayson Tatum (left ankle sprain), Dennis Schröder (non-COVID illness), and Romeo Langford (neck pain) were all cleared to play after being listed as questionable.

“I twisted my ankle a couple of games ago,” Embiid said. “It’s still not where it’s supposed to be. You got to fight through it. Everybody is needed in these tough times. You know, I don’t mind. I like the challenge to win whether you are undermanned or if you got all your guys, especially on the road.

“I like to challenge to see if I’m good enough to carry our guys to do my job offensively and mainly defensively.”

Grant Williams, Brodric Thomas, Jabari Parker, Juancho Hernangomez, Sam Hauser, and former Sixers Al Horford and Josh Richardson were sidelined for the Celtics (15-16).

Sixers reserves Shake Milton, Andre Drummond, and Georges Niang were sidelined after being placed in the COVID-19 health and safety protocols. In all, the Sixers had seven players miss Monday night’s game.

Tyrese Maxey (left quadriceps contusion), Furkan Korkmaz (non-COVID illness), and Jaden Springer (concussion protocols) are also out, along with Ben Simmons, who has yet to play this season because he remains mentally unfit to compete for the Sixers. The three-time All-Star wants to be traded.

The team will sign guard Tyler Johnson to a 10-day contract as part of the NBA roster hardship allowance created to combat COVID-19 stoppages.

The Sixers are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings. They’re three games out of third place and a game ahead of the 11th-place team. But now, the Sixers must depend on players who normally aren’t in the rotation to help elevate them in the standings.

» READ MORE: COVID cripples Sixers’ schedule as NFL, NBA, NHL resume protocols they should’ve never quit | Marcus Hayes

“I’m not worried about seedings right now, you know,” Rivers said. “I’m just trying to get through these games and see if we can win some of them. But you can’t get them back. I know that. Like you can win some of them and you are going to lose some. Then you are going to get lucky on nights, nights when you have more guys, your key guys.”

On Monday, Matisse Thybulle received his ninth start of the season. However, shooting guard Curry slid down to point guard with Maxey and Milton both out.

“I just thought from the jump of the game, everything going on with COVID cases and [Sunday’s] game [postponed],” Harris said, “I just thought our energy and focus level was there. We had a lot of guys step up and make plays. Joel’s fourth [quarter], that was epic right there, just his dominance.

“But being kind of short-handed and being able to fight out a win on the road, you can’t ask for anything better right there.”

Not having a point guard enabled Powell to make his NBA debut even though Rivers doesn’t know much about him.

“I watched Myles the day before yesterday [Saturday], the first time I heard about him,” Rivers said before the game. “And we got him. ... I just met him 10 minutes ago, and I told him, ’Hey, we’re playing you tonight. You are going to be in the game, on the floor tonight.’ He asked me, ‘What should I run?’ I said, ‘The floor. I don’t know ... ‘ We hear he’s a scorer and we are going to need it.”

Powell missed both of his shot attempts in 8:14 of action.

He saw his first action by opening the second quarter with a lineup of Isaiah Joe, Harris, Charles Bassey, and Henry. Powell missed both of his shots during a 5:02 stretch in the quarter. He then played the final 3:12 of the third quarter.

“I felt like I’ve been here,” said Powell, who was embraced by his teammates since arriving. “I mean, to be from Trenton, to be from New Jersey for my first NBA game to be with the Philadelphia 76ers will be something that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

The former Seton Hall standout said his debut is something he’ll be able to talk to his kids about.

“I just watched Joel Embiid go 40 and 10,” Powell said. “For me to be a rookie in this league to be able to watch that for my first NBA game like I said, is nothing I’ll never forget.”

The Sixers will have two days off before hosting the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday at the Wells Fargo Center. The Hawks are 14-15.