Marcus Smart, Robert Williams, and Al Horford were all out. Jaylen Brown got hurt late in the first half. Jayson Tatum was held to 12 points. Yet despite all of that, the Celtics found a way to beat one of the hottest teams in the NBA, topping the Philadelphia 76ers 106-99 at TD Garden on Wednesday night.

The key to the Celtics’ impressive and perhaps improbable win? Three point shooting. They had one of their best games from deep this season, and finished hitting 19 of their 35 (54.3 percent) three-point attempts.

• Too much space for Blake 🏹 pic.twitter.com/RY6w5A2WFt

  — Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 9, 2023

• On a night that was anything but predictable, it was Blake Griffin in his 10th start of the year leading the way. He shot 5-of-8 from deep, and ended up with 15 points. Other notable three-point performances came from Sam Hauser (4-for-4) and Grant Williams (4-for-6).

  Meanwhile, point guards Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon tied to lead the teams with 19 points. Both also made key plays down the stretch as the Sixers cut into Boston’s lead, including a key block from White followed by an and-one from Brogdon.

• SHUT IT DOWN D WHITE pic.twitter.com/Z2HBzgkL25

  — Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 9, 2023

• Although Tatum didn’t score much, he found other ways to impact the team. He nearly finished with a triple-double with 15 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds. When the Celtics did need him to put the ball in the hoop he did, scoring the put-away basket in the final minute on a floater through traffic.

  The Celtics did get four points from Brown before he got hurt. That injury came on a collision with Tatum, and was later described by the team as a ‘face contusion.’ Head coach Joe Mazzulla didn’t have an update on Tatum after the game.

  With the win, the Celtics improved their NBA-best record to 39-16. That puts them a game and a half up on the Milwaukee Bucks for first place in the Eastern Conference.

  Next up for the C’s is the middle game of a three-game homestand, when they host the Charlotte Hornets on Friday. That game tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET, with pregame coverage beginning at 7 on 98.5 The Sports Hub and the Celtics Radio Network.

• Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at [email protected].

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