Following a lackluster performance against the Hornets Wednesday, the Philadelphia 76ers took their home floor Friday night, looking to get back on track. Next up on their schedule was a longtime Sixers rival in the form of the Boston Celtics. 

From the opening tip, the Sixers asserted themselves as the better team. They ripped off a 28-to-4 run to close the first quarter and never looked back. Boston tried to pull off a run of their own but never got within striking distance. In the end, the Sixers walked away with a 111-99 victory. Here are some observations from the matchup. 

Sixers Observations

1) Matisse Thybulle defensive showcase 

Everyone knows the Celtics' offense runs through their twin-headed monster of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. After a rough showing from their perimeter defense against Charlotte, the Sixers' defense again had their work cut out for them. 

Tatum and Brown both struggled Friday, and part of that is because of the defense of Matisse Thybulle. The 24-year-old rotated between both players and did a great job making life miserable for them. On top of halting the pair of All-Stars, Thybulle also tallied five steals and two blocks in his 28 minutes of action. 

Performances like this are a reminder of how essential Thybulle is to the Sixers' success. His game-changing talent on the defensive end makes him one of the biggest X-factors on the roster. 

2) Tyrese Maxey shines 

The Sixers had multiple standouts in Friday's win, but few stood out more than Tyrese Maxey. The second-year guard struggled in his return to action earlier this week but returned to form against Boston. 

Maxey ended the night as the Sixers' second-leading scorer with 23 points to go along with five assists. He did so on a super-efficient 8-for-16 from the floor and 5-for-7 from beyond the arc. 

This was a much-needed bounce-back showing from Maxey. He once again looked like the electric scoring guard we have grown accustomed to seeing. Arguably the biggest thing to take away from this game is Maxey's three-point volume. Joel Embiid has constantly encouraged him to let it fly from deep, and he looks to be taking the advice. 

The Sixers are a completely different team when Maxey is asserting himself offensively, and Friday's win was a testament to that. 

3) Short memory 

The main overall takeaway from this matchup was the Sixers' short memory. Instead of dwelling on the events of their previous matchup, they were able to put it behind them and focus on the road ahead. Doc Rivers talked about scrapping the game and forgetting about it, and it appears the team did just that. 

Despite their season-winning streak coming to an end, the Sixers still find themselves in the midst of a good stretch. Losses are always going to pop up, but good teams know how the stop the bleeding before one loss turns into a full-blow skid. 

It was apparent early on the Sixers were poised to get back on track following Wednesday's loss. They did a great job not letting their poor play rollover, and now have positive momentum heading into their next game against the Miami Heat.