Despite Kendrick Perkins' faith, Game 2 exposed the Boston Celtics overaggressive defense and big reliance on three-point shooters
NBA champion Kendrick Perkins' take on the series fits the broader picture of the first-round matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics.
He said he will not "question the Joe Mazzulla system" and noted that Philadelphia "stole a game on the road." That confidence is understandable. The Celtics won the 2024 championship, still have one of the deepest rotations in the league, and finished the regular season with a 56-26 record.
Even so, Game 2 showed that Boston cannot simply lean on their reputation. The Celtics were beaten 111-97 after shooting 13 for 50 from three, a rough 26 percent from three from a team that relies heavily on their spacing to beat teams. When the shots fall, Boston's offense looks like one of the best in basketball; when they don't, you get nights where the offense doesn't look like it has a set plan besides shooting its way out of the slump.
This is where the adjustments come in. Boston spent Game 1 loading up on Tyrese Maxey, trying to force the ball out of his hands and make the Sixers' supporting cast beat them. It is a logical plan, but Game 2 showed the risks of the strategy.
Philadelphia found open looks over and over when Boston helped too hard, and VJ Edgecombe in particular made the Celtics pay for leaving him wide open. Maxey is still the engine of the team, but if the Celtics commit too hard on defense, they can give Philadelphia the kind of rhythm and confidence they need in order to keep games close.
Boston still has the better team. The Celtics have the championship experience, the depth, and the offensive firepower to bounce back from a bad shooting night better than Philadelphia can. Their supporting cast does not need to be perfect every game; the system usually gives them the leeway to have a few bad games from certain players.
Whatever is lost by them is gained back by a Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown having a great game. That is why Perkins' overall belief in Boston makes sense. But the series is also showing that Boston can't simply treat Philadelphia like it's a casual scrimmage.
If the Celtics keep over helping on Maxey and keep living and dying by the three, then they are giving the Sixers a reason to believe they have a chance of winning.
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Wes Dixon is a contributing writer to 76ersRoundtable. He can be reached at dixonwesley286@gmail.com.