After crushing loss to Sixers, there's no doubt Celtics should blow it up

After crushing loss to Sixers, there's no doubt Celtics should blow it up

WEEI By Alex Reimer


When the Celtics swept the 76ers out of the NBA playoffs last August, it was apparent Philadelphia needed to make changes. The Sixers were stagnating, unable to get past Boston, and clearly not built for championship contention. Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons were underachieving. It was time for a new path.

Eight months later, the Sixers look like a completely different team. On Tuesday, they completed their first season sweep of the Celtics since 2000-01, embarrassing Boston on its own parquet with a 106-96 drubbing that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicates. This game was over in the second quarter, when the Sixers went on a 21-2 run, opening up a 56-42 lead. The Sixers are now tied with the Nets atop the East.

While Embiid and Simmons remain, almost every other important piece around them is different. Brent Brown was jettisoned for Doc Rivers; Daryl Morey took over the basketball operations. Immediately, he reshaped the roster, mercifully trading away Al Horford and bringing in shooters Danny Green and Seth Curry. The end result is a much better team. It’s a lesson the Celtics should learn.


The Celtics don’t have to change everything this offseason, but it’s apparent significant alterations need to happen. Despite featuring two young All-Stars, the C’s are back below .500, and barely hanging onto a playoff spot. They can’t beat good teams and lead the league in games lost to COVID protocol. This is one broken club.

“Joel Embiid is PUNISHING the Celtics right now and I mean Straight Daddy Ball,” the esteemed Kendrick Perkins accurately pointed out. “The 76ers are giving the Celtics that work all across the board!!”


The numbers are downright depressing. Embiid scored 115 points in three games against Boston, including 35 on Tuesday. He made more free throws than the Celtics in the season series (47-45), and dominated inside. Poor Luke Kornet and Tacko Fall never stood a chance. Time Lord fouled out in 14 minutes.

Danny Ainge has presided over a massive talent drain. Over the last two years, the following players left town, and were never suitably replaced: Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward, Horford, Marcus Morris and Terry Rozier. They could form a playoff-caliber lineup all by themselves.

Ainge isn’t solely responsible for the current sad state of affairs. Irving quit on the team and Hayward shattered his ankle on his first night. Horford is not worth $100 million. But there have been plenty of missed opportunities, beginning with reportedly passing up a chance to swap Hayward for Myles Turner. Ainge has hoarded draft picks with little to show for his efforts. None of the four Baby Celtics selected in the first round since 2019 — Aaron Nesmith, Payton Pritchard, Romeo Langford, Grant Williams — are anywhere close to impact players.


Brad Stevens is less culpable, coming off three Eastern Conference Finals appearances in four seasons. But the Celtics are no longer the plucky underdog. They self-destructed in 2019 and fell to an inferior Miami squad last year. One of the differences was coaching. Erik Spoelstra was much better.

It’s clear the Celtics can’t return the same mix next season. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown aren’t ready to lead a team, with the former looking aloof and disinterested Tuesday night. Perkins called on Tatum to “step up and live up” to his role.

Right again.


This upcoming offseason, Boston’s top priority should be landing Bradley Beal or Karl Anthony-Towns. That would likely mean parting with one of Brown or Tatum, but that’s the cost of doing business. The question is, would that even be enough? Beal is one of the league’s elite scorers. A package built around Brown, Marcus Smart and a mid first-round pick might not get it done. What a sad indictment that would be.

As an added gut punch, Isaiah Thomas reeled off eight straight points in his NBA return Tuesday, reminding us of more optimistic days. The Celtics are no longer on the ascent. It’s time for a new direction.

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