Tuesday night produced two of the more compelling results of the first round. A rookie stole the show in Boston. An injury changed everything in San Antonio. When the night was over, the home teams had lost both games and two series were suddenly level.
76ers 111, Celtics 97 | Series Tied 1-1
BOSTON -- The Philadelphia 76ers walked into TD Garden, took the Celtics' best punch in the first quarter, and answered with one of their own for the next three.
Boston led 28-25 after one. Philadelphia led by eight at halftime, 62-54, and never looked back. Final score: 76ers 111, Celtics 97.
The story of the night was VJ Edgecombe. The 76ers' rookie was relentless -- 30 points, 10 rebounds, and the kind of two-way energy that dictated the game's tempo from the second quarter forward. For a player in his first playoff run, it was a performance that demanded attention.
Tyrese Maxey provided the veteran complement: 29 points and nine assists, distributing the ball efficiently while keeping the Celtics' defense scrambling. Paul George added 19 points and provided the steady presence Philadelphia needed in the moments when Boston threatened to claw back into it.
Jaylen Brown gave the Celtics everything he had -- 36 points on a night when Boston needed more than one person carrying the offense. Jayson Tatum finished with 19, but the Celtics as a unit could not find the consistent second-half production that has defined them in recent playoff runs.
The series heads to Philadelphia tied at one game apiece. Game 3 is Friday at 7 p.m. ET at Wells Fargo Center.
Trail Blazers Survive Spurs in Game 2 | Series Tied 1-1
SAN ANTONIO -- Portland did not just win this game. They won it under circumstances that should have made winning impossible.
Victor Wembanyama -- the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and the anchor of San Antonio's entire defensive identity -- exited in the first half after taking a hit and entering the league's concussion protocol. The Spurs finished the bulk of Game 2 without their franchise player, and it showed.
Scoot Henderson was the driving force for Portland. He scored 31 points and controlled the game's pace in the second half, pushing the pace when the Spurs' defense lost its shape and getting to the free-throw line when they tried to compensate. Jrue Holiday added 16 points and provided the composure the Trail Blazers needed late. Deni Avdija chipped in 14, and Robert Williams delivered 11 points and nine rebounds to anchor the interior.
The Spurs fought without their centerpiece. Stephon Castle scored 18 and played with urgency throughout. Devin Vassell contributed 16, but his potential game-tying shot in the final seconds rimmed out, and Portland escaped with the win.
The series is even at one game each.
Injury Update: Wembanyama
Victor Wembanyama has been officially diagnosed with a concussion following his exit in Game 2. The Spurs announced he will undergo additional testing on Wednesday. There is no timetable for his return, and his availability for Game 3 remains uncertain.
The implications extend beyond this series. Wembanyama is San Antonio's defensive infrastructure -- his presence on the floor changes what the Spurs can and cannot do on that end. Without him, Portland's path forward opens considerably. With him, even at less than full health, San Antonio is a different team.
Both series continue Friday.
