The most storied postseason rivalry in basketball history is set for another chapter as the Celtics vs. 76ers NBA Playoffs matchup officially tips off this Sunday. The second-seeded Boston Celtics, coming off a resilient 56-26 regular season, will host the seventh-seeded Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden. For the 23rd time in league history, these two Atlantic Division foes will battle in a best-of-seven series, promising a high-stakes showdown between two teams that took very different paths to the postseason.
The Celtics’ Resilient Climb to the Second Seed
The Boston Celtics (56-26) enter the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the league, but their journey to the top of the Eastern Conference was anything but smooth. Boston became just the fourth team in NBA history to start a season 0-3 and still reach the 56-win mark. After a shaky 10-9 start through November, the Celtics found their rhythm under head coach Joe Mazzulla, eventually climbing into second place in mid-January and never looking back.
A major storyline for Boston has been the availability of Jayson Tatum. The All-Star forward missed the first 62 games of the season while rehabilitating a torn Achilles tendon. Since his return on March 6 against the Dallas Mavericks, the Celtics have looked like a complete juggernaut. In his absence, Jaylen Brown carried the offensive load, leading the team with 28.7 points per game. The emergence of Neemias Queta, who led the team with 8.4 rebounds per game and ranked among the league leaders in True Shooting percentage (67.4%), has provided Boston with a physical interior presence that could prove vital in this series.
Philadelphia’s Path Through the Play-In
The Philadelphia 76ers (45-37) arrive in Boston having already faced postseason pressure. Philadelphia secured the seventh seed by defeating the Orlando Magic 109-97 in the Play-In Tournament. Under head coach Nick Nurse, the 76ers have remained a dangerous out despite finishing fourth in the Atlantic Division. Their regular season was marked by consistency, finishing with a 115.9 points per game average, which ranked 14th in the NBA.
Philadelphia’s roster features a blend of veteran leadership and young talent. Rookie V.J. Edgecombe, the third overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, has integrated quickly into the rotation, while the core remains built around high-impact playmaking. The 76ers proved they could beat the Celtics earlier this season, taking the season opener 117-116 back in October, though Boston claimed the most recent meeting in March with a 114-98 victory.
Key Matchups and Statistical Breakdown
When analyzing the Celtics vs. 76ers NBA Playoffs series, the statistical contrast is striking. Boston finished the regular season with the league's top-ranked scoring defense, allowing just 107.2 points per game. Their defensive strategy under Mazzulla focused on walling off the rim and forcing opponents into low-efficiency midrange shots—a plan that led to the fourth-best Defensive Rating in the NBA (112.7).
- Offensive Firepower: Boston ranks 2nd in Offensive Rating (120.8), while Philadelphia ranks 17th (115.4).
- Interior Battle: Neemias Queta and the Celtics' frontcourt will be tasked with containing Philadelphia’s physical inside game.
- Peripheral Shooting: Boston ranks 8th in three-point percentage (36.7%), a weapon they use to stretch opposing defenses.
- Playmaking: Derrick White led the Celtics with 5.4 assists per game and provided elite perimeter defense with nearly 100 blocks on the season.
A Rivalry with Historic Weight
No two teams have met more often in the NBA playoffs than Boston and Philadelphia. This series marks their 23rd postseason meeting. Historically, the Celtics hold the edge with 15 series wins to Philadelphia's 7. Over the last decade, Boston has dominated the postseason head-to-head, posting a 12-4 record against the 76ers since 2016.
However, the 76ers have often pushed the Celtics to the brink. With the return of Jayson Tatum and the momentum Philadelphia gained from their Play-In victory, the historical records may take a back seat to the current form of both squads. For Philadelphia, stealing Game 1 on the road is a priority to negate Boston's home-court advantage at the TD Garden, where the Celtics have been nearly unbeatable during their late-season surge.
Game 1 Logistics
The series officially begins on Sunday, April 19, 2026. Tip-off for Game 1 is scheduled for 1:00 PM ET and will be broadcast nationally on ABC. As the second seed, the Celtics will host Games 1, 2, and 5 and 7 (if necessary), while the 76ers will host Games 3, 4, and 6 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
With both teams relatively healthy and the Atlantic Division rivalry at a fever pitch, this opening-round matchup is widely considered the highlight of the Eastern Conference bracket. Fans can expect a physical, tactical battle between two franchises that define the standard of excellence in the NBA.
Sources & Original Reporting
