End of the season for Garza and the Celtics: Boston out of the NBA playoffs

Photo: NFSBiH

The Boston Celtics lost to the Philadelphia 76ers 109:100 on 3 May, overnight Saturday into Sunday Central European time, in Game 7 of the first round of the NBA playoffs. They bowed out 4:3 in the series and their season is over. Boston played without Jayson Tatum, who felt discomfort in his knee. Head coach Joe Mazzulla and the medical staff did not want to take risks and held him out after he had only recently returned from a serious Achilles injury. In that situation any leg issue is sensitive and can add stress to the Achilles — and risk re-injury. Luka Garza started in Tatum’s place but played only nine minutes, scored no points, missed two three-point attempts and picked up three fouls.

Philadelphia opened strongly, taking the first quarter 32-19. They kept their lead for long stretches, but Boston fought back late and the game went down to the wire. In the end Philadelphia made the bigger plays and sealed an important win. Joel Embiid led the 76ers with 34 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists. Tyrese Maxey posted 30/11/7, while rookie VJ Edgecombe scored 23 points. For Boston, Jaylen Brown had 33 points and Derrick White 26. Even as the second seed in the East, the Celtics lost three straight after leading the series 3-1, missing three chances to close it out. The main factor, as Mazzulla noted, was the return of Joel Embiid — one of the league’s best players — after his appendicitis issues. Embiid came back in Game 4 in a loss, then was a major factor in the next three wins. Philadelphia finished the regular season only seventh in the East, but on paper they have a roster that can go deep — maybe even challenge for the title. They move on to the Eastern Conference semi-finals against the New York Knicks.

On Garza, there were questions whether he would be part of the playoff rotation, yet he appeared in all seven games. He averaged 8.6 minutes — about half his regular-season load — with 4.4 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game. Garza had a strong season overall and remains under contract in Boston next year. Next come a short rest and summer downtime, then preparations for the new NBA season.