Chris Forsberg, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Rapid Reaction: Celtics 111, 76ers 91

Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens suggested before Thursday's game there was still competition for starting spots in the weeks leading up to the start of the regular season. Avery Bradley promptly went out and reminded everyone he's got a pretty firm grasp on the shooting guard spot.

Bradley erupted for 20 first-half points on 7-of-11 shooting, which included making six of eight 3-pointers, as Boston opened as much as a 24-point lead and never trailed en route to a 111-91 triumph over the host Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center.

Stevens had suggested the potential to pair different combinations around point guard Rajon Rondo when he's healthy enough to return from a broken hand. That didn't necessarily suggest Bradley's spot is in the jeopardy, as he's been a consistent two-way threat for Boston this preseason. Bradley got much of the second half off Thursday after helping Boston open a healthy lead.

Here's everything else you need to know from Thursday's game:

Nitty-gritty: Jared Sullinger scored a team-high 21 points for Boston while connecting on eight of 10 shots, including four of six 3-pointers. Sullinger has been a very efficient scorer at times this preseason. He added eight rebounds, five assists and two steals to his stat line over 29:44. Jeff Green had 18 points in 31 minutes, while Tyler Zeller chipped in 14 points in another strong reserve performance. The Celtics shot 47.2 percent overall and 40.5 percent beyond the 3-point arc. Tony Wroten and Elliot Williams each had 17 points to pace the 76ers.

Rotation remains tight: Even on the second night of a back-to-back, Stevens stuck with a tight 10-man rotation for much of the night, suggesting that most competition at this point lingers among those players competing for the majority of minutes. Injuries have eliminated some of Boston's depth, and even with a 20-point lead, Stevens played his rotation guys deep into the game. Rookie Dwight Powell and Erik Murphy got some late run, as did the team's trio of camp invitees.

Loose balls: Joel Anthony was the only healthy DNP for Boston … Bradley, Sullinger and Green were all plus-27 for the game. … Marcus Smart missed all four shots he took and was held scoreless, but his defense was phenomenal again at times. Smart balanced out four turnovers with six assists and three steals.

What it means: The Celtics improve to 3-3 on the exhibition season. They'll take Friday off after playing a back-to-back, then practice in New York on Saturday in advance of Sunday's tilt with the Brooklyn Nets. That contest will be an experimental 44-minute game utilizing 11-minute quarters and fewer mandatory timeouts.

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