Boston Celtics: 5 keys to series vs. 76ers

2. Being better in the second quarter

If the first quarter were 48 minutes long, the Celtics would be undefeated. Instead, the second quarter has served as an open door for opponents to come back from early deficits. It would be unfair to expect the Celtics to hold onto every lead they ever gain, but it also wouldn’t be too much to ask that unforced turnovers be kept to a minimum.

The Celtics were outscored by a total of 47 points in the second quarters of their first round series, posting a -6.7 point differential in that period. Both marks were the worst among all 16 playoff teams in the second quarter thus far.

Basketball is a game of runs. The team to throw the first punch (usually the Celtics) always gets punched back right after. The 76ers, unlike the Bucks, will shoot the lights out of the TD Garden if you give them too many extra possessions.

Philly is great on the offensive boards, so the Celtics will need to be extra vigilant on the glass, as well as keeping an eye on J.J. Redick, who is always ready to take opportunistic 3s out of second chance opportunities. Per NBA.com, the 76ers lead all postseason teams with 16.2 second chance points per game.