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The Boston Celtics fell 111-97 to the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday at TD Garden, evening the first-round playoff series at 1-1. Jayson Tatum finished with 19 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists in the defeat.
Tatum pointed first to the defensive approach and overall execution after the loss. “Stick to the game plan. Just try to make things tough for him,” he said. “I think it wasn’t like we played bad defense. It’s just when you’re not making shots at the rate we normally do, it just puts more pressure on your defense.”
He connected Boston’s offensive efficiency directly to defensive stability. “The missed shots obviously put a lot of pressure on your defense,” Tatum said. “And we’ll be better next game.”
Philadelphia rookie V.J. Edgecombe produced 30 points and 10 rebounds despite playing through pain, while Tyrese Maxey added 29 points and nine assists. Boston struggled to contain both as the 76ers shot 47.8% from the field.
Tatum stressed the challenge of defending Tyrese axey in a playoff environment. “Great players in this league. You just try to make it tough on them,” he said. “I mean, he’s 11 for 28, so you’re going to make some shots, you’re going to miss some. You just try to make it as tough as possible. Try to make them work for it.”
He also highlighted the collective defensive responsibility. “And that goes for all the guys on the team,” Tatum said.
The Celtics briefly cut a fourth-quarter deficit to two points before Philadelphia responded with an 11-0 run. Boston’s 3-point shooting finished at 13-of-50, a factor that impacted spacing and shot rhythm.
Tatum pointed to consistency on both ends as the key adjustment heading into Game 3. “We just have to be better next game,” he said, focusing on execution rather than outcome swings.
He also addressed how injuries and recovery influence perspective during the postseason. “I’m feeling good. It sounds cliche, but man, I’m back in the playoffs,” Tatum said. “For me it’s a win every day that I get to come back from what happened last May.”
He expanded on how that mindset carries into losses. “It’s the playoffs, it’s a roller coaster,” Tatum said. “The team that sticks together and does that from an emotional standpoint will be fine.”
On the importance of experience within the roster, he added a leadership note. “It’s something that we stress and we talk about,” Tatum said. “You lean on the guys that have been through this over and over again.”
Boston now shifts its focus to Game 3 in Philadelphia, where shot creation, defensive rotation discipline and late-game execution will again be tested in a tightly contested series.
