Paul George Scores 36 to Lead Celtics in Dominant Win Over 76ers

The Boston Celtics defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 123-101 on Tuesday night to secure a dominant road victory against their longtime rival.

After maintaining a 91-82 lead heading into the final quarter, Boston pulled away with a 14-0 run to seal the win, according to NBA.

The momentum shifted decisively when Payton Pritchard hit back-to-back three-pointers, followed by an eight-point scoring streak from Paul George that pushed the Celtics’ advantage to 23 points. Philadelphia failed to record a single field goal until the 7:37 mark of the fourth period, when Jaylen Brown hit his only three-pointer of the evening.

Paul George drops 36 PTS in return to Philly & Jayson Tatum adds 21 in Celtics' W — NBA on ESPN

While the matchup featured several storylines, George’s performance against his former team became the primary focus. He finished with a game-high 36 points on 14-of-22 shooting, including 6-of-11 from beyond the arc, NBA reported.

“He’s probably been dealing with the spotlight since he was like 12 years old … He doesn’t get enough credit for his emotional stability,” said Joe Mazzulla, Boston Celtics head coach, regarding Jayson Tatum’s composure during the high-stakes game.

The Celtics’ efficiency in the final frame turned a competitive contest into a blowout. During the fourth quarter, George was particularly effective, scoring 14 points while shooting 5-of-7 from the field and 3-of-4 from three-point range.

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The disparity between the two teams was evident in the scoring distribution and shooting accuracy. While Boston scored at least 29 points in every quarter, the 76ers managed to reach that threshold only once, during the third period.

Player/Stat Category	Boston Celtics	Philadelphia 76ers
Total Points	123	101
Field Goals Made	48	33
Three-Pointers Made	22	11
Points in the Paint	46	32
Tyrese Maxey Points	N/A	24
Jayson Tatum Points	21	N/A

The 76ers relied heavily on free throws to attempt to stay in contention, attempting 28 from the line compared to just five attempts by the Celtics. However, Boston’s ability to score in transition and from distance overwhelmed the Philadelphia defense, outscoring the 76ers 118-77 on non-free-throw points.

Jayson Tatum contributed 21 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two blocks to the Celtics’ effort. Tyrese Maxey led the scoring for Philadelphia with 24 points, but the 76ers struggled to keep pace with Boston’s balanced attack.

Jaylen Brown, playing in his first game against his former team, finished with 13 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Despite his offensive contributions, Brown ended the night with a minus-27 rating in just under 26 minutes of play, according to NBA.

Paul George got BUCKETS in the first half against his former team… ☘️ 17 PTS (game-high) ☘️ 7-11 FGM ☘️ 15 MIN He's facing the Sixers for the first time in a Celtics uniform… Boston leads heading into the 3Q on NBC and Peacock! pic.twitter.com/S5l9hK5o4L

— Post by @NBA on X

George’s impact was reflected in his plus-17 rating, the highest among the Celtics’ starters in his 30 minutes of action. His scoring surge in the second and fourth quarters—13 and 14 points respectively—was the catalyst for the Celtics’ ability to extend leads and maintain control through the end of the game.

The Celtics’ victory serves as a significant statement in the early season, highlighting a gap in scoring depth and perimeter shooting between the two Eastern Conference rivals.