The Boston Celtics reclaimed the top spot in the NBA Eastern Conference after defeating the Philadelphia 76ers 123-101 on Tuesday, November 10, with Paul George delivering a game-high 36 points to headline a dominant performance in Philadelphia.
Boston moved to a 9-2 record to overtake the 76ers, who dropped to 9-3 after suffering their first defeat in four games. The victory also extended the Celtics’ winning streak to four games.
George, who joined Boston from Philadelphia in the summer trade involving Jaylen Brown, made six three-pointers and finished with 36 points from 14-of-22 shooting, alongside five rebounds.
Jayson Tatum added 21 points, six rebounds and four assists as he got the better of his former teammate Brown, who managed just 13 points, five rebounds and two assists in his first appearance against Boston since the trade.
The much-anticipated reunion between the former Celtics teammates attracted attention before tip-off, with Tatum approaching Brown at midcourt in an attempt to greet him, but the Philadelphia forward did not reciprocate.
Brown also struggled with foul trouble and committed four turnovers, finishing with a game-worst minus-27 rating as Philadelphia struggled to contain Boston’s attacking threat.
The Celtics established an 11-point advantage by halftime, leading 62-51 after taking control in the opening two quarters.
Philadelphia responded in the third period, with Tyrese Maxey leading the fightback as the hosts reduced the deficit to nine points, trailing 91-82 heading into the final quarter.
However, Boston opened the fourth period with a decisive 14-0 run, sparked by consecutive three-pointers from Payton Pritchard before George added eight straight points to extend the lead beyond reach.
Pritchard finished with 18 points, while Sam Hauser contributed 12 as Boston made 22 three-pointers to complete the 22-point victory. Maxey led Philadelphia with 24 points, while Joel Embiid added 16.
After the game, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla praised Tatum’s composure in handling the attention surrounding his first competitive meeting against Brown since their separation.
“He’s probably been dealing with the spotlight since he was like 12 years old … He doesn’t get enough credit for his emotional stability,” Mazzulla said.
Elsewhere, defending champions New York Knicks extended their winning streak to four games after thrashing the Milwaukee Bucks 117-85 at Madison Square Garden.
Jalen Brunson led New York with 23 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns recorded 21 points and 16 rebounds to extend his double-double streak to 14 consecutive regular-season games.
OG Anunoby added 19 points after making five three-pointers as the Knicks improved to 6-4, having won six of their last seven games following an 0-3 start to the season.
New York took control in the second quarter, outscoring Milwaukee 32-13 to establish a 58-34 halftime advantage.
The Bucks mounted a third-quarter response, scoring 38 points to cut the deficit to 13 points, but Towns helped the Knicks regain control in the final period. New York subsequently produced a decisive 20-2 run to put the contest beyond Milwaukee’s reach.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 16 points for the Bucks, who suffered their seventh consecutive defeat to fall to 1-10, extending their difficult start to the campaign.
