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The Philadelphia 76ers squandered a great chance to beat the Boston Celtics. With three starters out and another one being sidelined with injury mid-game, the Sixers still lost to Boston. There were many factors at play but one stuck out like a sore thumb.
The main story for the Sixers was a miserable failure to defend 3-pointers. The Celtics shot 19-35 from deep, taking care of business despite a 5-15 shooting night from Jayson Tatum. Doc Rivers discussed the issues after the game, which marked Philly's second consecutive loss.
"Someone in this room could have made those 3s… give them credit you still got to make them and they did."
Doc Rivers did not mince words when talking about about Sixers defense vs. the Celtics pic.twitter.com/3VLPEMacfX
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) February 9, 2023
“I could have made some of those threes,” Rivers said of the shots the Sixers allowed. “Well, maybe not me. I was a poor shooter. But someone in this room could have made those threes. They were pretty much wide open. We gave a lot of ‘dare’ shots tonight, all the way through the game. A lot of shots where we just dare guys to shoot them. And they shot them and they made them”
Blake Griffin, who made a game-high five triples in eight attempts, threw some shade at Rivers after the game for allowing him to hit such a dangerous shooting rhythm.
“I don't really take it as disrespect,” Griffin said when asked about the Sixers' decision to leave him open from deep. “It hurt them. That was their game plan. Obviously, Doc makes that game plan. They didn't adjust, which has been sort of a thing. No disrespect, though.”
The Sixers knew this matchup with the Celtics was a chance to prove themselves as legitimate heavyweights. They let it slip by in the worst way.
