James Harden leads 76ers to improbable victory over Celtics in Game 1 without Joel Embiid

Philadelphia takes a 1-0 lead in the series over Boston

The Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics kicked off the latest iteration of their storied, contentious rivalry in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Monday night. The main storyline heading into the contest was the absence of Sixers center Joel Embiid, who was ruled out of the game with a knee injury that he suffered in the first round against the Brooklyn Nets. It's possible that Embiid will be available later in the series, but he wasn't ready for the first game.

Despite Embiid's absence, the Sixers were able to persevere and pull out an improbable 119-115 victory to start the series. James Harden turned the clock back for Philadelphia and showed that he can still be an elite scorer of the highest order after serving as a pass-first guard for the bulk of the season. The Beard finished with 45 points, six assists and two steals, and his production propelled the Sixers to victory. He hit big shot after big shot for Philadelphia, including seven triples in what was one of the best playoff performances of his entire career.

Harden had some help, too. Tyrese Maxey dropped 26 points and snagged four steals, and Tobias Harris had 18 points and five rebounds. De'Anthony Melton also provided a big boost off of the bench with 17 points.

Jayson Tatum led the way for Boston with 39 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, while Jaylen Brown added 23 points, six rebounds and four assists. Malcolm Brogdon also added 20 points off of the bench. Boston didn't get too much out of the rest of the roster, though. The Celtics will now have to regroup and look to bounce back in Game 2 on Wednesday night. 

Before moving forward in the series, here's a look at three key takeaways from Philadelphia's memorable Game 1 win. 

Harden's best playoff game ever?

James Harden has faced his fair share of criticism for underperforming in the postseason in the past, but that wasn't the case on Monday night. In fact, the exact opposite occurred, as Harden turned in arguably his best playoff performance ever when his team needed it the most. 

With the league's leading scorer stuck on the sideline, Harden reverted to scoring mode right from the beginning of the game. He came out of the gate extremely aggressively and set the tone for the team. He took 10 shots and scored 16 points in that first frame. It was almost like he was trying to send a message to Boston that read: "Yeah, the big fella is out, but I'm still a problem." And a problem he was. 

Harden maintained that aggressive mindset throughout the game, and he hit a plethora of clutch shots for the Sixers down the stretch, including the go-ahead basket over Al Horford with nine seconds remaining in the game.

When all was said and done, Harden finished with 45 points, six assists and two steals while shooting 17 of 30 from the floor and seven of 14 from long range. He also had just three turnovers, which is pretty impressive, considering how much he had the ball in his hands. 

Harden's total of 45 was the most points that a Sixers player has scored in a playoff game since Allen Iverson dropped 55 in April of 2003, and the performance was simply one of the best in franchise postseason history. 

Harden isn't going to rewrite the entire narrative about his playoff history with one performance, but he was definitely able to chip away at it. As a guy who will be eligible for a new contract this summer, Harden also helped to boost his own stock. If he can continue to play anywhere near as well as he played in Game 1, the Sixers will continue to be tough to topple, even without Embiid. 

Philadelphia buried Boston from long range 

The three-point line is a major difference-maker in the NBA today, and the Sixers used it to their advantage in Game 1. As a team, Philadelphia connected on 17 triples over the course of the contest, led by Harden, who had seven himself. Melton added five for Philly; together, he and Harden had more than Boston's entire team. The Celtics knocked down just 10 shots from beyond the arc, and Tatum and Brown combined for seven of those ten. That's a difference of 21 points in a game that was ultimately decided by four points. 

Such a disparity is difficult to overcome, and it proved to be a major factor in the first game of the series. The fact that the Sixers were able to have so much success from beyond the arc without Embiid doesn't necessarily bode well for Boston, as the big man tends to generate open opportunities for his teammates due to his gravity. If he's able to return in this series, the Celtics could have a hard time limiting Philadelphia's looks from long range. 

Paul Reed stepped up 

It's impossible to fill Joel Embiid's shoes. After all, the guy's arguably the most dominant player in the league when healthy. But, Paul "BBall" Reed performed commendably in Embiid's absence in Game 1. Reed got off to a shaky start as the Celtics were able to attack the paint consistently in the first quarter, but he eventually settled in and was able to turn in a productive performance. 

In his 37 minutes of action, Reed snared 13 rebounds (including four offensive board) and added 10 points while also giving an admirable effort on the other end. He was able to show off his improvement as a finisher on a couple of occasions, and he knocked down four imperative free throws in the closing minutes of the game. With Embiid's status for the rest of the series up in the air, the Sixers will need Reed to continue to contribute in a big way. 

[May 1, 2023 at 9:57 pm ET · Michael Kaskey-Blomain]

That game was wild. 

[May 1, 2023 at 9:48 pm ET · Michael Kaskey-Blomain]

Harden just splashed a three to give the 76ers a two-point lead with 8 seconds remaining. Harden has 45 points in what has been an epic performance. 

[May 1, 2023 at 9:46 pm ET · Michael Kaskey-Blomain]

This game has been pretty crazy. Great way to start off a series. 

[May 1, 2023 at 9:45 pm ET · Michael Kaskey-Blomain]

Tyrese Maxey just came up with a fast break dunk to give Philadelphia a one point lead with 28 seconds remaining, Boston timeout. 

[May 1, 2023 at 9:44 pm ET · Michael Kaskey-Blomain]

One point game. 57 seconds left. Playoff basketball. 

[May 1, 2023 at 9:41 pm ET · Michael Kaskey-Blomain]

Horford continues to make huge plays for the Celtics down the stretch.. blocks, rebounds, buckets. Whatever they've needed, he's been there to deliver. 

[May 1, 2023 at 9:40 pm ET · Michael Kaskey-Blomain]

It's a one points game with 98 seconds remaining. Buckle up. 

[May 1, 2023 at 9:37 pm ET · Michael Kaskey-Blomain]

Al Horford is making some really nice defensive plays for the Celtics down the stretch here. 

[May 1, 2023 at 9:29 pm ET · Michael Kaskey-Blomain]

Things are getting chippy in the fourth quarter between these two long-time rivals. 

[May 1, 2023 at 9:28 pm ET · Michael Kaskey-Blomain]

James Harden's 42 points are the most he's ever scored in a 76ers uniform.