2018 NBA Playoffs: Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers preview

Predictions

Even with Kyrie Irving on the court, the Celtics were a team built on grit and toughness at both ends of the floor.

Their defense has never relied on just one player, allowing them to plug in just about anybody and still remain elite on that end, which allows them to stay competitive even when their offense sputters.

Brad Stevens continues to show his mastery of the game of basketball, as even without Irving, Boston still managed to find scoring from various sources during their first round series.

However, because of Irving’s absence, the Celtics don’t have a true star player capable of dominating the offensive end from start to finish, which has come to be a must-have in playoff basketball.

The 76ers are lucky enough to have two such players, as Embiid and Simmons continue to validate the comparisons with NBA legends. Boston has had a great postseason run so far, but the 76ers have the two best players in this series surrounded by shooters with a defense that’s no slouch.

It’ll be a physical series, but ultimately the gap in talent will doom the Celtics, sending them packing for the rest of the postseason.

Next: Full two-round 2018 NBA Mock Draft

Prediction: 76ers in 6