Derrick White, Jayson Tatum lead short-handed Celtics over 76ers in matchup of East leaders

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Derrick White scored 14 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Boston Celtics to a 117-107 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night in a matchup of the early pacesetters in the Eastern Conference.

Jayson Tatum scored a game-high 29 points and Jrue Holiday added 18 points, 10 rebounds and three assists for the Celtics (9-2), who were missing Jaylen Brown (non-COVID illness) and Kristaps Porzingis (right knee contusion). .

Philadelphia (8-3), playing their second game of a back-to-back and third game in four nights, got 20 points each from Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. That total was well below the seasonal average for both.

Sam Hauser and Al Horford took Brown and Porzingis’ spots in the starting lineup and had productive moments, with Horford scoring 14 points and setting up a big block of a driving layup from Maxey that ended with White hitting a backbreaking 3-pointer with 4:47 left, extending the Celtics’ lead to seven points. Horford was 4 for 8 from beyond the three-point line for a Celtics team that extended its lead to 17 points at one point in the game.

The Sixers played with tired legs for most of the evening and struggled to adjust defensively as the Celtics moved the ball around.

Embiid was a minus-25 in his 34 minutes on the floor. In the second half, Philadelphia’s high-powered offense was held to just 49 points.

NEXT ONE

Celtics: Take on the Raptors in an NBA In-Season Tournament game Friday in Toronto.

76ers: Travel to Atlanta for an NBA In-Season Tournament game against the Hawks.