By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Boston Celtics proved why they are the reigning NBA kings after staging their largest come-from-behind victory of the ongoing regular season on February 3, 2025.
Looking like dead in the water after facing a 26-point deficit, the Celtics displayed one of the best fourth-quarter performances in the NBA season and shocked the Philadelphia 76ers on the road, 118-100.
Boston already pressed the emergency button when things didn’t go their way despite plenty of adjustments in the second half.
When Philadelphia went ahead, 94-72, in the remaining minute of the third, Boston’s head coach Joe Mazzulla fielded his best players at the start of the fourth and they didn’t disappoint.
The trio of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Sam Hauser kicked off Boston’s rally with several three-pointers and aggressive drives to the cup.
Brown started the feisty comeback, scoring on a wide-open jumper from the left baseline, while Hauser knocked down back-to-back three-pointers that gave the Celtics the momentum they needed.
From a 14-point point deficit at the start of the fourth, the Celtics quickly kept themselves within striking distance and cut Philadelphia’s lead to just two points, 100-98, after Tatum’s huge trey.
Hot and in the zone, Boston gave Tatum another isolation play in the exact spot at the left elbow and sucked the life out of the Philadelphia fans when he gave the Celtics the lead off another three-pointer, 101-100.
In the last seven minutes of the ball game, the 76ers were completely stunned and looked gassed when they managed to put up only just eight points until the final buzzer sounded.
Boston highlighted their incredible fourth-quarter display with an efficient 15/22 shooting from the field, a huge improvement to their 33% clip in the first half.
Tatum once again top-scored the Celtics with 35 points built from 5/8 shooting from downtown alongside 11 assists, seven rebounds, a steal, and a block.
Meanwhile, Brown had a near triple-double outing after tallying 21 markers, 10 boards, and six dimes while Kristaps Porzingis and Hauser chipped in 18 and 12 points, respectively.
On the other hand, Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey scored his fifth-straight 30-point game after going for 34, but the uprising daredevil guard cooled down in the fourth when Jrue Holiday and Derrick White took turns checking him.
The Celtics will look to bring their oozing confidence against the Cleveland Cavaliers on February 5, 2025, while the 76ers seek to redeem themselves against the Dallas Mavericks on the same date.
