Celtics vs. 76ers: Game 3 Highlights, Twitter Reaction and Analysis

I guess that whole, "Defense Wins Championships" thing went out the window for the Philadelphia 76ers after they won Game 2.

The Sixers made no attempt to guard Boston in Game 3, as the Celtics strolled to a 107-91 victory. Boston takes the lead in the series, 2-1. 

This game was a sight for sore eyes after Game 2's debacle, but Philly is going to have show up with a lot more passion if it wants to keep this series competitive. 

Let's take a closer look at what exactly went down tonight at the Wells Fargo Center. 

Video Highlights

The Sixers offense was actually looking especially good in the first quarter, and it ended on about as good of a note as possible when Lou Williams knocked down a three at the buzzer:

And even though that first quarter didn't go completely the Celtics' way, it was important because Paul Pierce proved, as you can see, that he is very close to being healthy:

In the third quarter, the excitement was slowing down as Boston was pulling out to a ginormous lead. Hey, speaking of ginormous:

Props to Garnett for knocking down those free throws. 

Twitter Reaction

The NBA Guru was pleasantly surprised about the fast-paced first quarter, which I'm pretty sure no one expected:

"

Well that was a surprisingly fun 1st quarter. Both teams hitting shots and playing with an extra bounce to their step.

— NBA Guru (@NBAGuru) May 16, 2012"

76ers beat writer Bob Cooney constructed this simple tweet, explaining what a good job Lavoy Allen was doing guarding Kevin Garnett early in the game:

"

Garnett going off = Lavoy Allen off bench

— Bob Cooney (@BobCooney76) May 16, 2012"

Unfortunately for the Sixers, Allen got into foul trouble in the first half and was forced into limited minutes. Then, Garnett went off.

At halftime, Hardwood Paroxysm had his own good idea about stopping Garnett's dominating mid-range performance—guard him:

"

Just imagine if the Sixers had figured out they can contest Garnett at 18 feet and it's legal.

— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) May 17, 2012"

And finally, another tweet from the NBA Guru, who shows us just how good the combo of Rajon Rondo, Pierce and KG were tonight:

"

Pierce, KG, and Rondo all with 20-10 double-doubles tonight. And there are still 8 minutes to go.

— NBA Guru (@NBAGuru) May 17, 2012"

Yeah, that doesn't happen too often.

Grades for Key Celtics Players

Rajon Rondo: A

Rondo did a wonderful job controlling the game. He got out into transition at the right times and slowed down to run the pick-and-pop at the right times.

Of course, his box score was also as stuffed as ever. Rondo finished with 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting, with 14 assists (to just one turnover) and six rebounds.

Kevin Garnett: A

I mean, the 76ers didn't make things very hard on KG tonight, as they left him open for plenty of mid-range jumpers, which he loves.

But you don't discredit the student if the teacher gives an easy test.

In the end, the Big Ticket looked like the the Big Ticket of old tonight.

Well, he looked exactly like he's looked all playoffs, actually.

Garnett finished with 27 points on 12-of-17 shooting to go along with 13 rebounds in just 30 minutes. He was as effective as ever, and his aggression on the offensive end was key. 

Grades for Key 76ers Players

Andre Iguodala: C-

Oh wait, Andre Iguodala played during this game?

After a pretty active quarter in which Iggy scored five points and was looking pretty aggressive, he simply disappeared for the rest of the game. 

All in all, it was just a "meh" game. I realize the Sixers spread around the offensive wealth, but at some point Iguodala needs to assert himself and get Philadelphia to push the pace a little bit, which is where he excels.

He didn't step up tonight.

Iggy finished with 10 points on just six shot attempts. He chipped in four rebounds and two assists, but turned it over three times.

Jrue Holiday: B

To me, Holiday looked like one of the only players interested in making plays happen for Philadelphia. (Evan Turner, although not very accurate, and Thaddeus Young, who was fantastic, deserve credit, too).

Holiday cooled off after a very solid first half, but he still finished with 15 points, six rebounds and a 9:3 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Deciding Factor: Boston's offense/Philadelphia's defense

Boston came into Game 3 with a ton of aggression on offense, and Philly just wasn't ready to stop it. The Celtics' new Big Three of Rondo, Pierce and Garnett looked for their shots early and often, and the 76ers just didn't have an answer.

The Celtics shot 52 percent from the field, and Philadelphia just didn't look interested in stopping them. The Sixers were lackluster on that side of the court all night, and Boston made them pay for it. 

Of course, on the other end, Boston's defense also looked about as lockdown as ever.

So, I guess the deciding factor was both Boston's offense and Boston's defense. Maybe that's why they won by 16 points. 

Game MVP: Kevin Garnett

Garnett didn't do much wrong in this one. He was lights-out on offense, scoring both from the post and from the top of the key. 

He also continued to rebound well and provided solid defense against Elton Brand (three points) and Spencer Hawes (four points).

In the end, Garnett finished with a massive +27. Yeah, he deserves MVP. 

What's Next: Game 4

Philadelphia badly needs to respond to this letdown of a game, and it can't afford to go back to Boston down 3-1. Game 4 is in Philly and will take place on Friday, May 18 at 8 p.m. EDT.