Home-court edge wiped out 
The scoreboard at TD Garden tells the story: this series is back on level terms. The Philadelphia 76ers win on the road, 111-97, erasing the damage from Game 1 and pulling it back to 1-1.
Boston were sharp early, ripping off a 16-point burst to go 26-13 up. Philadelphia answered by clamping things down immediately, then strung together 10 straight to drag themselves right back in it. After 12 minutes, the home side led 28-25.
A stat line not seen since 1998
One performance stood out above everything else: VJ Edgecombe. The rookie finished with 30 points and 10 rebounds, hitting 12 of 20 from the field in 35 minutes. He poured in 14 in the second quarter alone, swinging the game before half-time as Philadelphia went in ahead, 62-54.
The league has flagged the numbers as a rare statistical oddity. To find another rookie posting at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in the playoffs, you have to go back to 1998 and Tim Duncan.
Maxey closes it out, Boston come up short from deep
Tyrese Maxey handled the late-game business. The guard finished with 29 points and 9 assists, with 11 of those points coming in the fourth quarter. A three-point play, then one last dagger from long range, sealed it for the Pennsylvania side.
Boston’s offense never really found its rhythm. They lived and died on the perimeter and, mostly, died. They shot a miserable 26 percent from three, making just 13 of 50. Jaylen Brown still put up 36 points and 7 rebounds. Jayson Tatum added 19 points, 14 rebounds and 9 assists. Not enough, nowhere near enough, and the series now shifts to Philadelphia.
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