The first meeting between the two teams at the center of the NBA’s most talked-about offseason trade went Boston’s way, and it was not close. Paul George poured in a game-high 36 points as the Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 123-101 on Tuesday night, November 10, in Philadelphia.

George, who landed in Boston in the deal that sent Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia, shot 14 of 22 from the field and 6 of 11 from three-point range, according to NESN. The win lifted the Celtics to the top of the Eastern Conference standings.

How the game got away from Philadelphia

Boston controlled most of the night, winning the first quarter 30-23 and leading 62-51 at halftime. The Sixers had their moments. Brown said afterward that it was a tie game at one point. But the Celtics pulled clear in the fourth quarter, outscoring Philadelphia 32-19, with George scoring 14 of his 36 points in the final frame.

George finished with a plus-minus of plus-17. Asked about the difference between his time in Philadelphia and Boston, he pointed to his health and his role. “What I’ve learned is, I’m a little bit better with more usage,” he said on NBC’s postgame show. “That’s not a knock to my opportunities here in Philly. Quite frankly, I wasn’t healthy [enough] to take on the workload.”

He credited Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla’s system. “The beauty of this offense is the game is just gonna find me,” George said. “I’m not pressing. I’m not rushing. I’m not forcing.”

A rough night for Jaylen Brown

The 2024 Finals MVP did not get his revenge against his former team. Brown scored 13 points in 26 minutes and was hampered by foul trouble after picking up two fouls in the first quarter. He finished with a plus-minus of minus-27, the worst of any player on either side.

“Just got those two early fouls that kind of distorted my rhythm throughout the whole game and kind of struggled to get it back,” Brown said, as quoted by The Philadelphia Inquirer. “They shot the hell out of the ball, executed well. We gotta get better.”

It is one game in November, and it is far too early to declare a winner of the trade. But George, who said his body is “holding up wonderfully” after injury-hit seasons in Philadelphia, entered the night averaging 20.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.3 steals while shooting 42.5 percent from deep. On this evidence, Boston is getting a healthy and confident version of him.

The rest of Tuesday’s NBA scores

It was a six-game night around the league. Final scores, per Basketball-Reference:

  • Knicks 117, Bucks 85: Jalen Brunson scored 23 and Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 points and 16 rebounds as New York won its fourth straight. The 32-point margin was one of the most lopsided results of the young season.
  • Celtics 123, 76ers 101: George’s 36 led all scorers.
  • Heat 115, Jazz 109: Giannis Antetokounmpo had 30 points and 11 rebounds for Miami in Salt Lake City.
  • Suns 133, Clippers 110: Phoenix put up 133, one of the highest team totals of the season so far, with Jordan Goodwin leading the Suns in scoring with 18.
  • Magic 107, Kings 100: Franz Wagner scored 33 for Orlando in Sacramento.
  • Trail Blazers 123, Thunder 103: Portland outscored Oklahoma City 38-21 in the third quarter to pull away, despite 26 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

What to watch next

For Boston, the question is whether George can keep up this level of production and health over a full season. For Philadelphia, the focus shifts to getting Brown comfortable in his new home and finding rhythm on both ends. The two teams will meet again later in the season, and if Tuesday was any guide, the rematch will draw plenty of attention.

Image: Basketball Hoop by Marcin Milewski via StockSnap, CC0 1.0