4 takeaways as the Celtics defeat the 76ers and remain undefeated

BOSTON – The Celtics remained undefeated in their preseason with a 139-89 win over the 76ers at TD Garden on Saturday night. Boston led by as many as 54 points against an undermanned Sixers squad that rested all eight of its top players after a two-in rematch against the Timberwolves on Friday night.

Boston's regular players celebrated an early win against the 76ers' reserves and gained a lead of 40:18 in the first quarter, which continued to increase from then on. Jaylen Brown (18 points) led six different Celtics in double figures, while Jayson Tatum added a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds in just 23 minutes before playing out most of the second half. Rookie Jared McCain scored a game-high 20 points in Philadelphia's setback.

Boston improves its preseason mark to 3-0 with a win against the Raptors with two games remaining starting Sunday night. The loss dropped the Sixers to 1-2.

Here are four takeaways from the Celtics' win on Saturday night:

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Kornet shines while Horford rests: The Celtics are content to take some relief from Al Horford this preseason as he missed his third straight game. Luke Kornet continues to be in his place and played one of the best halves of his career against the 76ers' reserves. With 15 points, he led all scorers in the first half and helped the hosts to 12 second-chance points thanks to five offensive rebounds. Kornet will be a player that opposing defenses won't focus on all season, especially when he's in the starting lineup. However, his size and basket IQ allow him to get looks on offense and on the glass, as evidenced by his 7-of-10 shooting from the field. Boston's strength up front will be tested early in the year with Kristaps Porzingis sidelined, but Kornet remains hopeful of getting more minutes.

The starters already seem ready for the regular season: After a five-day break, Joe Mazzulla had his starters (without Al Horford) working as usual for the first three quarters and the results were quite promising. Boston's stars were in action at both ends of the court, while the team's passing cohesion remains as good as ever. The level of competition wasn't exactly a challenge for this group, but Mazzulla has to be happy with the determination with which this group is fighting for the title. With only two preseason games remaining in the next three days, it wouldn't be a surprise to see this group finished without a brief first-half cameo in Toronto on Tuesday night. Because this group works so well, there's no reason to risk anything.

Guerschon Yabusele seems to be one of them: The former Celtics big man was the starting player for the Sixers, with the team resting most of its starters. Yabusele couldn't prevent the Sixers' bench from being ripped off the floor by Boston's starters, but the 28-year-old held his own throughout his 20 minutes of action. He hit two three-pointers and totaled seven points and three rebounds as well as one block. In addition to stretching the floor from the rim, Yabusele bullied Jayson Tatum on a postup for an easy layup. The Sixers don't have many high-energy options off the bench due to their large rotation, so it looks like Yabusele has a chance to fill that role.

Lonnie Walker shows off the best version of himself: The veteran guard had been relegated to mop-up duty in his first two preseason games for Boston. On Saturday night, Mazzulla gave Walker a chance with Boston's regular bench rotation and he made the most of it. Walker (nine points) is known for his aggressiveness with his shots, but he was a pass-first player against the Sixers and had seven assists off the bench, including several unselfish sequences. He was also a nuisance defensively (two steals, one block) and seemed like a worthy wildcard option for Boston's second unit for at least one night. It will still be an uphill climb for him to make the final roster, but it's easy to see now the team's vision for bringing him on board for a closer look after this stint.