Celtics overpower Sixers behind Queta’s career-best night
The C’s started March off with a satisfying win at the Garden, and an unlikely name stole the show in the process.
The Boston Celtics started March off with a satisfying win, and an unlikely name stole the show in the process.
Center Neemias Queta scored a career-high 27 points, as the Celtics defeated the Philadelphia 76ers by a 114-98 final at TD Garden. The C's have now won six of their last seven, and they hold a 1.5-game lead over the New York Knicks for the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference entering Monday.
Queta dominated both ends of the court against a Joel Embiid-less Sixers team, shooting 10-for-14 (71.4%) and logging a game-high 17 rebounds and three blocks. Jaylen Brown matched his 27 points to go with eight rebounds, while Derrick White put up a 21-6-8 line.
Not to be overshadowed by his unheralded teammate, Brown also reached a major career milestone, becoming just the 12th Celtic in history to score 13,000 career points. He joins some elite company for the franchise: John Havlicek, Paul Pierce, Larry Bird, Robert Parish, Kevin McHale, Bob Cousy, Sam Jones, Bill Russell, Jayson Tatum, Dave Cowens, and Jo Jo White are the other Celtics players to reach that number.
Philadelphia point guard Tyrese Maxey led all scorers with 33 points, but shot just 35.3% while the Sixers shot 39.8% as a team.
Up Next: It's a quick turnaround for the Celtics, who now head out on the road to Milwaukee for a road tilt against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night. There's still no word on Jayson Tatum's return, but the possibly-well-informed Bill Simmons said on his podcast that it's looking like Tatum will play on Friday against the Dallas Mavericks in Boston.
