Boston Celtics: 3 takeaways from Game 5 vs. 76ers

Despite a plethora of injuries, the Boston Celtics are returning to the Eastern Conference Finals after defeating the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 5.

In a matchup that featured two teams with vastly different styles of play, the well-rounded one came out on top. The Boston Celtics are going back to the Eastern Conference Finals after defeating the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 5, 114-112, ending the series much earlier than expected.

Eliminating Philly was no easy task, as the Process no doubt wanted to live on just a little longer.

The 76ers led through most of the first half, with Boston retaking the lead in spurts. It was in the third quarter that the C’s made their mark, building up a 12-point lead, seemingly putting the game away.

A spirited comeback from Philadelphia late in the fourth quarter saw it regain the lead before Boston’s late-game heroics reared their head once again to propel the Celtics to victory in the final minute.

The duo of Jaylen Brown and Jayston Tatum were terrific for Boston, finishing with a combined 49 points on 18-of-28 shooting, while four other Celtics finished in double-figures.

Joel Embiid did almost everything he could to stave off summer vacation, as the All-Star posted 27 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots.

It didn’t matter that the 76ers have two of the brightest young stars in the league, nor did it matter that Boston was missing some of its best players.

The Celtics still managed to return to the same spot at this time last year, earning another matchup with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers for a spot in the NBA Finals.