Most of us had this day circled on our calendars from the moment the NBA released its full season schedule on August 13. We knew it would be significant.
The first official game against Jaylen Brown after he was jettisoned earlier in the summer.
The first matchup between the new-look Boston Celtics and the supercharged Philadelphia 76ers of the season.
And the first competitive game between these two sides since the Sixers fought back from 3-1 down to win the opening series of the 2026 playoffs, ultimately putting Boston on course for the months that followed.
It’s a big game. For lots of reasons.
It was inevitable that as we got closer to this matchup, new reporting on Brown’s exit from Boston would emerge. In fairness, we’ve had some excellent reporting regarding that situation over the last 24 hours, with Jay King’s piece and Gary Washburn’s piece both required reading, in my humble opinion.
Yet, once that ball is thrown up at center court to start the game, all the outside noise will wash away. From that moment, it will be about basketball. After months of discussions surrounding the Brown trade, to the point where most of the NBA fanbase at large is sick of hearing about it, we will finally get to a point — however short-lived — where what’s happening on the court matters more than a decision made in an office somewhere this summer.
So, that’s what I want to focus on. The basketball.
During this newsletter’s infancy, I used to compile stat-heavy scouting reports for big games. We looked at where teams’ shots were coming from, where they were struggling to limit opposing shooters, and what the Celtics could potentially do to gain an advantage.
I’m bringing that back. At least for today.
Side note: all stats, unless otherwise stated, are courtesy of Cleaning The Glass, which as a built-in garbage time filter.
Where do the Sixers’ shots come from?
For all of the offensive talent within Nick Nurse’s rotation, the Sixers offense is still figuring things out. They rank 27th in the NBA for effective field goal percentage, converting at a 50.7% clip.
Only 34.7% of their shots are coming from the perimeter, which is 27th in the NBA. Of those perimeter shots, just a smidge over 25% of them are coming from the corners, placing them 23rd in the league for corner threes.
Philly ranks higher for mid-range attempts, though. After all, Brown is one of their top offensive options this season. 30.6% of Philly’s offense is coming out of the mid-range, placing them 12th in the NBA. Between the free-throw line extended and the three-point line (long twos), the Sixers rank second in the league, with 11.5% of their middies coming from distance.
That leaves 34.6% of Philly’s offense to come at the rim. A solid clip in the modern NBA, placing them fifth in the league. Given the athleticism and size Nurse has available to him, it’s understandable the Sixers are looking to punch it, or lay it in as often as possible.
Where Are The Sixers Converting From?
Ok, so now we know where the Sixers’ shots are coming from. But how well are they shooting from those locations?
Well, despite their high frequency of attacking the rim, the Sixers aren’t making the most of their attempts. Brown’s team sits 27th in the NBA for scoring within four feet of the basket, converting on 62.8% of its attempts. That’s a lot of missed shots given the frequency with which they’re getting to the cup.
The same can be said from the three-point range. Oftentimes, when a team isn’t jacking up a sizeable amount of threes, they’re being more methodical with their shot generation, looking for quality over quantity. Not Philly. They’re not shooting a lot of threes, and they’re not making a lot of them either.
The Sixers are knocking down 33.5% of their perimeter attempts this season, good for 22nd in the NBA. They are having success when shooting out of the corner, though, ranking 10th in the NBA, knocking down 38.7% of their looks. It’s a shame, then, that corner threes count for less than 10% of their total shot profile.
Even in the mid-range, Philly is struggling.
They’re shooting 39% on middies. However, they are having more success on long-twos, hitting 41.6%, ranking 13th in the NBA.
