CAMDEN, N.J. — The Sixers are up against a crafty second-round opponent in the Celtics.
In spite of all the major injuries the Celtics suffered this season, from Gordon Hayward to Kyrie Irving, they found ways to win on both ends of the court.
"They're an excellent defensive team," Brett Brown said Sunday. "We respect them with what they do defensively. And I think they're clever offensively."
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The Sixers and Celtics will play Game 1 at TD Garden Monday night at 8 p.m.
Brown is zooming in on how the Sixers will score against the Celtics. During the regular season, the Celtics had the best defensive rating (the Sixers were third) and ranked third in fewest points allowed per game (100.4). This postseason they've kept their competition off the glass with the second-fewest opponent rebounds (38.6).
The Celtics allowed 101.9 points per game to the Bucks. The Sixers, meanwhile, are leading the NBA with 114.2 points per game in the postseason.
"They're the best defensive team in the NBA," JJ Redick said. "They have great individual defenders and they have great team concepts."
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Offensively, the Celtics are distributing their production this postseason. Veteran Al Horford leads the team with 18.1 points per game, followed by Jaylen Brown (17.9), Terry Rozier (17.6) and Jayson Tatum (15.4).
Horford and Rozier scored 26 points apiece in Game 7 of the first round.
"He's dynamic," Brown said of Rozier. "The stuff that they are missing from Kyrie in somebody that can create off a live ball all by himself and doesn't need a pick-and-roll, they do get with him. He can really get into a defense, he's athletic, he's tough."
The Sixers expect the Celtics could go with a small lineup at times and move the Horford to center. They implemented a similar strategy against the Heat by moving Ersan Ilyasova to the five.
"He's one of my favorite players in the NBA," Redick said of Horford. "I have so much respect for him and he's obviously a huge key to this series."
The Sixers will look to take away one of the Celtics' biggest edges — home-court advantage. The Celtics have not lost a playoff game in Boston, nor have they won on the road.
"I think they're really good as a team," Ilyasova said. "It's always tough to play at their place."