NBA》P. George scored 36 points against his former team, the Celtics beat the 76ers and overtook the leader.

P. George. (Reuters)

[Reporter Lu Yangxuan/Comprehensive Report] The Celtics and the 76ers, who made a shocking trade in the off-season, faced off for the first time today. The focus before the game was on the interaction between Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, but Paul George, the other protagonist of the transaction, became the biggest highlight in the end. He scored 36 points with 6 three-pointers and defeated the 76ers 123:101. The Celtics also surpassed the 76ers to become the Eastern Conference leader.

Tatum greeted J. Brown before the game but was ignored. After the start of the game, he played very strongly and scored 11 points. The Celtics relied on the same P. George to score 17 points in the first half, and Tatum added 13 points. After the first two quarters, they held a 62:51 lead. Tyrese Maxey scored 12 points for the Sixers. J. Brown scored 8 points on 2 of 4 shots in the first half.

After the easy basket, Joel Embiid broke the net from outside, ending the sluggish streak of missing 22 consecutive three-pointers. He made another three-pointer since the home opener on October 23. In this quarter, the Sixers relied on the output of LeBron James and Embiid. They once tied the game with a 25:14 offensive, but then the Celtics scored 9 points in a row. The Celtics entered the final quarter with the lead.

In the final quarter, the Celtics' firepower did not stop. P. George scored 14 points in a single quarter with a blast from the outside. He played a 20:5 wave to set the tone in advance. The main players of both sides also took a rest. The Celtics scored 22 three-pointers in this campaign. P. George made 14 of 22 shots in 30 minutes, including 6 of 11 shots from outside and scored 36 points and 5 rebounds. Tatum played 32 minutes and made 8 of 17 shots and scored 21 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Payton Pritchard came off the bench and scored 18 points.

The 76ers started the season with 9 wins in 11 games. Now they met the Celtics. The Big Four were led by Maxi with 24 points, Embiid with 16 points and 6 rebounds. J. Brown scored 13 points on 4 of 9 shots against his former team. James made 4 of 12 shots and only 11 points on 1 of 6 three-pointers.

Tatum (left), J. Brown (right). (AFP)

James (right). (AFP)