Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics Live NBA Preseason Updates, Scores and Highlights

It turns out the Celtics have the league's best preseason defense for a reason. They are frenetic in the half-court and interchangeable at basically every spot. They've also forced seven Sixers turnovers in the first 12 minutes.

All the preseason caveats apply. But if Paul George and Jayson Tatum can hold up playing this style for the entire regular season, Boston is going to be a turnover-generating machine.

Score: Sixers 34, Celtics 28 | End of First Quarter

Hugo González did an excellent job pressuring the Sixers and getting the steal. He did an even better job convincing the refs that five to six steps is actually the same as two steps.

Neither team is shooting well from three right now, but they're both attempting to get out in transition and put pressure on the basket.

For their part, the Sixers are doing their darnedest to feature Embiid. He already has eight points on five shots and five three-throw attempts in the early going. Though he also has three turnovers to boot, he is moving pretty well with the ball in his hands.

Score: Celtics 25, 76ers 22 | 2:26 remaining in the first quarter quarter

What a sight to behold. I wonder if LeBron will give Maxey crap during the game break about the past being a little off target.

Score: Sixers 13, Celtics 12 | 6:45 remaining in the first quarter quarter

This is wild context. And I'm glad we have it.

Let's see if Gabe McGlothlan can help bridge this gap.

Something tells me the reception will be louder when LeBron and friends aren't going up against the [checks notes] Chris Cenac-led Celtics.

KCP's starting nod is good data collection for how head coach Nick Nurse might handle absences during the regular season.

Rolling with him tonight makes sense given VJ Edgecombe's importance to the front of the defense. It'll be interesting to see whether he or a healthy Dean Wade gets the go-ahead when it's LeBron (or Jaylen Brown) out of the lineup instead.

All the imaginary bonus points ever go to anyone who can identify more than two of these players without seeing the names on the back of their jerseys.

This would have marked just the second time Philly fielded its entire starting five. But after playing in all three of the Sixers' other three preseason tilts, VJ Edgecombe is getting the night off.

Although his absence is a bummer, his fit with the core fivesome remains the simplest. He has shown a willingness to cut, get out in transition, shoot off the catch and defend no matter who's on the floor.

If any wrinkles need to be ironed out, it's with the LeBron-Brown-Embiid trio. Balancing that could get finicky for stretches. For our sake, it at least gives us plenty to continue monitoring throughout this one.

So much for getting our first glimpse of Jaylen Brown vs. Jayson Tatum.

While the Sixers will be at close to full strength through the first half, it looks like the Celtics will be giving their non-core players a lion's share of the run. That puts a bit of a damper on Brown facing his former team, but it's still our first glimpse of him going up against at least some previous running mates.