Celtics news & rumors: Joel Embiid dominates C’s; Buddy Hield trade buzz

It would’ve been a lot to ask of a shorthanded Boston Celtics team to beat the Philadelphia 76ers team on Monday night.  Still, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and the crew held a lead late into the fourth quarter before Joel Embiid led the Sixers to a 108-103 victory at TD Garden.

The big man took advantage in the absence of Al Horford, Robert Williams, and Grant Williams to make a mockery out of Enes Freedom downlow as Embiid finished the game with 41 points, including nine points in the final 1:22 of the game.

Boston Celtics have nothing for Joel Emiid

Too much and too hot to handle, the Celtics had absolutely no answer for Embiid due to who wasn’t on the floor.  Led by Brown’s 30 points, the fact that the C’s still had a chance to close out the game is the positive of the night.

Even without Horford and Robert Williams, who combined to limit Embiid just weeks prior, Brown knows his team could’ve still played better defensively.  The All-Star big man made some tough shots, but the Celtics didn’t respond in their rotations they why they should have.

"“Rotations were slow, I guess,” Brown said following the game, via NESN.  We started out with the game plan that we wanted to guard him one-on-one with heavy digs.  And he just took advantage of those matchups.  We didn’t do a good enough job of helping Enes and helping our bigs down there.  Embiid started feeling uncomfortable.  And we don’t want a guy like that to feel comfortable.”"

Once a big man like Embiid gets rolling, it really is hard to stop him.  Celtics head coach Ime Udoka backed up Brown by admitting the team defense was “poor.”  On top of that, Tatum had a tough scoring night, which along with Embiid kept the 76ers in the game and eventually overcoming a late fourth quarter deficit to snap their 3-game winning streak.

NBA rumors: Could the Boston Celtics finally acquire Buddy Hield?

The Portland Trail Blazers and Indiana Pacers aren’t the only teams that may be looking to blow things up as the NBA Trade Deadline approaches.

According to NBA Insider Jordan Schultz, the Sacramento Kings have made sharpshooting wing Buddy Hield available in trade discussions.  If this is true, Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens must kick the tires.

In averaging 16.1 points a game this season, Hield would be quite an addition for the Celtics who have been chasing a scorer off the bench seemingly for quite a few seasons now.

Is the 29-year-old Hield the answer?  Better yet, what would it take to lure the Kings to pull the trigger on a deal?

Obviously, the Celtics would have to start any negotiations by including Romeo Langford, Aaron Nesmith, and draft picks.  But could sweeten the deal by including Marcus Smart or Josh Richardson.  If Smart is included, something besides Hield would have to come back in the deal to make it worth it for Stevens.

That other player could be power forward Marvin Bagley III, who needs a change of scenery. Despite a lack of playing time, the big man is averaging 8.1 points and 6.7 rebounds in 19.6 minutes per game.  Definitely a trade worth exploring the Boston Celtics.