Three Takeaways from the 76ers’ loss to the Celtics

On Saturday night in Philadelphia, a Jayson Tatum three-pointer with around two seconds left was the difference in what was a close and hard-fought game between the 76ers and Celtics.

While it was a heartbreaking loss for the 76ers (especially because of the Joel Embiid full court heave that came just after the buzzer), there were still some positive outcomes that can help the team learn and improve.

Here are three positives for the 76ers from Saturday’s game.

Effort + hustle in big matchup

The matchup with Boston was among the biggest games of the year for the Sixers. Not only did it have a big impact on the Eastern Conference standings, but both teams were healthy for a rivalry matchup on national TV.

Defensively, it seems that the 76ers have started engaging and communicating a lot more on a possession-to-possession basis. That’s what will separate a good team from a great team; playing with intensity and not taking games/possessions off.

That can be seen with the Celtics and the Bucks. Both teams are known for playing hard almost every night, no matter the matchup, on both ends of the floor. The 76ers have looked like a more focused team lately, treating every possession with more care.

Against the Celtics, that was clear. While it didn’t end up giving them a win, the team must keep that aggressive mindset if they’re going to pursue a championship.

It was a playoff atmosphere at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday. The 76ers can live with the fact that they played focused and aggressive, despite the loss.

Signs they can hang with Boston

The effort and hustle has made Philadelphia seem easier to believe in as a title contender, but they also showed the ability to exchange punches against Boston and fight back when they were down.

The Boston-Philadelphia rivalry is famous for not being a rivalry at all; Embiid has admitted the Celtics win just about every time. While the 76ers couldn’t pull out a win, Saturday was the first time in a long time that there were moments like looked like the better team.

Every time Philadelphia looked out of it, they found a way to gather momentum. The Celtics had around a 10 point lead in the fourth quarter, but big plays from Embiid and Tyrese Maxey tied the game at 107 before the Tatum game winner.

Embiid was dominant, even against a Celtics defense full of good defenders. He ended with 41 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and three blocks.

When Embiid is that focused on both ends of the floor and others step up to the plate, the 76ers are dangerous. They still have areas for improvement, but Saturday was a big sign that the Sixers can beat good teams in the future.

Harris and Tucker excel

While Embiid’s dominance is almost expected, both Tobias Harris and PJ Tucker have struggled at some points this season. Last night, they showed up.

Tucker seems to have a thing for stepping up to his competition’s level. He was a valuable defender against Boston, lining up against either Tatum or Jaylen Brown. Offensively, he was knocking down threes more often then he usually does.

The involvement of Tucker into the offense created a balanced attack that gave Embiid more room to work with. Going forward, that version of Tucker could be a major X-factor for Philadelphia.

And finally, Harris looked like the best version of himself on Saturday. He had 19 points on 8-12 shooting, including three three-pointers.

When Harris is decisive with the basketball, makes the most of his catch-and-shoot opportunities and is aggressive going to the rim, he can be one of the best scorers on the floor.

Saturday was a good blueprint of what the coaching staff should want from him: aggressive and efficient scoring from all around the court.

Despite the loss against Boston, the 76ers looked pretty close to figuring out how to maximize the team’s talents.

Featured photo courtesy of Mitchell Leff/Getty Images