LAS VEGAS -- The Sixers' second-half comeback fell short as the Celtics won Tuesday's game, 88-83.
The Sixers trailed by as many as 12 in the first half. They fought back from a seven-point halftime deficit to outscore the Celtics 25-11 in the third quarter. The Celtics quickly erased the Sixers' lead, though, early in the fourth.
The teams were tied with three minutes to play. Jayson Tatum put the Celtics up 81-77 on a driving basket to beat the shot clock. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot drew a foul but only made one free throw. Semi Ojeleye put the game away with a three-point play.
The Sixers fell to 1-2 in Las Vegas while the Celtics improved to 3-0.
Inside the box score
• Luwawu-Cabarrot led all players with 16 points along with six rebounds.
• Tatum and Jabari Bird scored 15 points each for the Celtics.
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• Ante Zizic posted 12 points and 13 rebounds.
• Jonah Bolden scored 13 points with eight boards.
• Jaylen Brown scored his seven points in the first quarter. Brown later exited the game with a thigh injury.
• Furkan Korkmaz struggled, shooting 2 for 7 from the field (5 points).
• Melo Trimble scored 13 points off the bench (3 for 5 from three).
• Mathias Lessort, the 50th overall pick by the Sixers in last month's draft, received FIBA clearance the morning of the game and made his summer league debut Tuesday. He posted four points, four rebounds, one steal, one block and four fouls in 12 minutes.
Big man battle
The Sixers didn't have a defensive answer for the 6-foot-11 center Zizic. They started Bolden at the five, but Zizic had a 20-pound advantage and easily grabbed a double-double. That matchup was interesting to watch as Zizc is a traditional big man and Bolden was stretching the floor knocking down threes.
Third-quarter tumble
Andrew Harrison and Landen Lucas got tangled up in the third. Harrison looked as if he threw Lucas to the ground on defense. After Tatum scored on the same play, Lucas stepped over Harrison's head as Harrison stood up. Harrison grabbed Lucas, who fell to the ground. Harrison was issued a technical foul.
Sixers sightings
Robert Covington, Justin Anderson and Jerryd Bayless were on hand for the game.
Up next
The Sixers' next game will be decided on Tuesday evening when the NBA seeds each team for the tournament portion of play. The schedule will be announced at the conclusion of the final game of the day.
