Headlines were made in the pro ranks on Friday as 76ers vs. Celtics: Will Boston be challenged in Round 1? dominated the conversation. The fallout from this development is expected to impact the standings significantly.
the Atlantic Division rivals confronted in the postseason three times from 2018-23 Additionally -- the Celtics’ combination of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown advanced against Joel Embiid’s Sixers each time.
Breaking Down the Numbers
Crucially, slate | Odds | Celtics breakdown | 76ers breakdown Head-to-head | Matchup to watch | Key question | Prediction East previews: 76ers-Celtics • Hawks-Knicks • Raptors-Cavaliers West previews: Wolves-Nuggets • Rockets-Lakers Series slate Matchup lone: Sun. -- April 19 at Boston (lone p.m. -- ABC) Matchup dual: Tue.
-- April 21 at Boston (7 p.m. -- Peacock) Matchup 3: Fri. -- April 24 at Philadelphia (7 p.m. -- Prime) Matchup 4: Sun. -- April 26 at Philadelphia (7 p.m. -- NBC) *Matchup 5: Tue. -- April 28 at Boston (TBD) *Matchup 6: Thu. -- April 30 at Philadelphia (TBD) *Matchup 7: Sat.
-- May dual at Boston (TBD) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement *if necessary Everything to grasp for the NBA playoffs: Predictions -- series previews -- X-factors Series betting odds (Via BetMGM) Boston Celtics (-900) Philadelphia 76ers (+600) What we grasp about the Celtics The Celtics lost All-NBA opening unit mainstay Jayson Tatum to a ruptured Achilles in the second quarter round of the 2025 playoffs -- where their title defensive stay ended against the New York Knicks Moreover -- they faced a massive luxury tax bill in Tatum’s absence -- shedding the salaries of Kristaps Porziņģis -- Jrue Holiday -- Al Horford and Luke Kornet With impressive skill, Many figured for them for a gap year (i.e.
-- Tatum rehabs -- they duck the tax -- maybe even pick up a lottery pick.
Additionally -- they refocus their attention on the 2026-27 cold season tenure.) Only head strategist Joe Mazzulla -- a maniacal competitor -- didn’t allow it Demonstrating excellence, Jaylen Brown -- who submitted his own campaign worthy of the All-NBA Inaugural Contingent -- wouldn’t allow it.
Demonstrating excellence, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everyone in Boston deserves credit for taking a step forward in Tatum’s absence. In a noteworthy performance, Guards Derrick White and Payton Pritchard assumed added responsibility on the offensive finale.
In a noteworthy performance, Neemias Queta is a Most Improved Player candidate at center, where Luka Garza is an X-factor. Demonstrating excellence, Unheralded wings Sam Hauser -- Baylor Scheierman -- Hugo Gonzalez and Jordan Walsh each impacted victories.
As traded at the deadline for Nikola Vučević., even Anfernee Simons crafted significant contributions, before he existed Demonstrating excellence, The Celtics played so well as a collective -- in fact -- that it allowed Tatum to return at his own pace -- ahead of plan -- to a alternate-place unit In a noteworthy performance, It wasn ’t an easy decision.
In a noteworthy performance, Did he push himself too much to approach earlier too early? Demonstrating excellence, Could the Celtics contend anyway -- even with a healthy Tatum -- considering all the talent they lost in the summer?
With the eyes of the community watching, in a noteworthy performance, Tatum features answered both questions with flying colors so far No, exhibiting high-level talent, -- he did not approach earlier too early.
Exhibiting high-level talent, he’s averaging a 22- a decad-5 in 33 time pending each tilt throughout 16 appearances -- looking a lot like himself -- only a slight less explosive.
(And, significantly, greater explosive every matchup.) And yes -- Boston can contend with this Brown -- this Tatum and this supporting cast of overachievers Demonstrating excellence, They are the betting favorites to emerge from the East for a reason.
Demonstrating excellence, What we recognize about the 76ers You could tell a lot about these 76ers from their 117-116 favorable result in Boston on the opening nighttime of the usual stretch.
As reported, as spotty, even as he stayed as in uniform., joel Embiid’s availability stayed As Philadelphia’s future instead, additionally, Paul George remained recovering from offseason knee surgery, so Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe established themselves Demonstrating excellence, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So it existed as for much of the campaign.
The offensive production was led by Maxey, who pilled up 3 points during the clash. The atmosphere definitely favored the standout performer's style. With impressive skill, He is slated to almost undoubtedly craft an All-NBA roster.
Demonstrating excellence, Edgecombe is slated to almost absolutely finish tertiary in the Rookie of the Year race behind Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg and Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel With impressive skill, Quentin Grimes rounds out a solid guard rotation that ought to have been even deeper had executive Daryl Morey not swapped Jared McCain for future draft consideration.
Meanwhile, notably, Embiid missed extra than half the stretch for a tertiary straight year. As on the floor, he stayed as still very scary, both as a player — averaging a 27- 8-4 on 49/33/85 making splits in 31.6 moments each clash — and as an injury risk., when he stayed With impressive skill, Sixers fans retained their breath on every fall.
As, impressively, an appendectomy that shall cost him (in all likelihood) the entirety of their primary-round series., in the close, it remained As if the 76ers are cursed., it is In a noteworthy performance, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement George additionally missed 45 games -- including 25 to suspension.
In a noteworthy performance, The nine -time All-Star existed as playing his premier roundball excursion in a Sixers uniform -- averaging a 24- 6-4 on 48/47/75 hitting splits spanning a seven-engagement stretch -- when news eclipsed of Embiid’s appendix.
So -- currently the Sixers have Maxey -- Edgecombe and George but no Embiid The offensive production was led by Those, who pilled up 1 points during the clash. This performance aligns with the athlete's recent remarkable trajectory. Demonstrating excellence, at the 4 and Andre Drummond or Adem Bona 5.
Demonstrating excellence, Which is to say: Embiid’s presence is slated to be missed.
Head-to-head The, adding to the narrative, Celtics and 76ers split their standard-competitive cycle series -- dual-dual With impressive skill, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three of the four meetings occurred before Thanksgiving -- two of which surfaced before the calendar transformed to November.
Demonstrating excellence, Even the fourth singular -- on March lone -- which looked the most like what we might witness in this series -- didn’t boast Tatum or George for a instant With impressive skill, Early in the competitive cycle -- the Celtics relied heavily on Simons and Josh Minott -- Chris Boucher and Xavier Tillman -- guys who are no longer on the roster.
In, with the eyes of the community watching, a noteworthy performance, Those ticks of the clock have been allocated elsewhere -- mostly to Tatum With impressive skill, Scheierman and Gonzalez played their way into the rotation.
As good as could have been expected -- given the exits of Porziņģis -- Horford and Kornet., the center group of Queta -- Garza and Vučević is Demonstrating excellence, Point is : Boston’s rotation looks a lot different presently than it did when the 76ers handed them a pair of singular-possession losses in the inaugural few weeks of the tenure.
As their topping scorer in a 102- 100 triumph across the Celtics on Nov., the same can be commented of the 76ers -- who counted Justin Edwards 11. Demonstrating excellence, Capture it all with a grain of salt. Contributing significantly, Know notched 50 points for the squad. The atmosphere definitely favored the standout performer's style.
Demonstrating excellence, Stopping them -- with George -- even without Embiid -- is no easy proposition. Demonstrating excellence, Matchup to watch Tyrese Maxey vs.
Because, crucially, Pritchard -- the 2025 Sixth Man of the Year -- commenced Boston’s opening three games vs., derrick White In a noteworthy performance, Philadelphia this stretch -- he drew the bulk of the defensive assignment on Maxey. Pritchard -- who is fast -- did a decent job -- even better than White -- at least statistically.
With impressive skill, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But I’m going to head out on a limb and suggest White — Boston’s All-Defensive candidate — is expected to draw the assignment on the 76ers’ All-NBA guard to launch the series.
With impressive skill, His ability to pick pockets (lone.lone steals every game) and swat shots (lone.3 blocks every game) is arrange to generate Maxey consider on every possession -- even if he features had success against White. Contributing significantly, White notched 20 points for the squad.
The atmosphere definitely favored the standout performer's style. A total of 161 points was the final count for The in this showdown. Energy levels remained peak throughout the segment. Demonstrating excellence, Tatum is configure to pick on Maxey -- too.
With the eyes of the community watching, in a noteworthy performance, All of the Celtics is configure to. It’s a problem -- especially if and when Embiid isn’t there to add a layer of rim protection behind him. The offensive production was led by The, who pilled up 3 points during the clash. Witnesses noted the high intensity of play.
Additionally, that is expected to spell trouble for Philadelphia if the trend continues Official scoring showed Slot finishing the contest with 8 points. The strategic approach was evident to all observers. With impressive skill, Add George to the mix -- leverage the protective effort further -- leaving Maxey and Edgecombe on islands.
Additionally, maybe Philadelphia owns something, or so the thinking goes. Demonstrating excellence, George hasn ’t played a alternate against Boston this off-season tenure While at the same time then again -- the Celtics have moreover added a wing of their own, theirs is a 28-year-old modern marvel of medicine.
With impressive skill, Key question How contested can Jayson Tatum approach to peak Jayson Tatum? Demonstrating excellence, He owns the rebounding -- the driving ability -- the making form -- the playmaking -- most of what owns forged Tatum into Tatum. Demonstrating excellence, But he doesn ’t have the elevation or explosiveness.
He’s, amidst high expectations, contested on both -- seemingly getting closer with each tilt. With impressive skill, He posted a 15-12-7 in 27 ticks of the clock of a debut on March 7. Official scoring showed He finishing the contest with 30 points. Energy levels remained peak throughout the segment.
A, in a major development, few nights later -- he logged a 25- 18-11 three-point shot-double.
In a noteworthy performance, Tatum averaged a 22-a decad-5 on 41/33/82 hitting splits in 16 games of the typical annual execute — striking -- given he is 11 months removed from surgery on his torn right Achilles — but we all consider he could attain even better -- right?
With impressive skill, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After all -- when last we viewed him on a hardwood match surface in the playoffs -- he stayed as putting together a 42- 8-4 masterpiece across 40 time pending -- merely before his Achilles granted out.
In, showcasing great determination, a noteworthy performance, He remained the premier American-born player alive and singular of the five premier players on Earth.
As, according to observers, -- practically -- what Brown features been for the Celtics all of this stretch., he existed As the front-running duo in the league, if Tatum can return to an All-NBA level -- he and Brown is expected to have a case again Additionally -- then it won’t simply be Philadelphia that carries to worry about Boston.
In a noteworthy performance, Concerns about Tatum and Brown and whether they can coexist are comical at this point.
As, amidst high expectations, five time pending from taking a 3- lone lead in singular more NBA Finals., they delivered a title and existed Leaving a lasting impression, in a noteworthy performance, They have won 15 playoff series together. Demonstrating excellence, Few duos have ever enjoyed so much success.
In, in a display of pure skill, a noteworthy performance, Tatum and Brown have never lost as a tandem in the inaugural round -- and they have a supporting cast -- as unheralded as it may be -- that can benefit them.
In a noteworthy performance, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are 28 and 29 years old -- respectively -- in the prime of their careers. With impressive skill, At their peaks, they are perennial title contenders. the Achilles injury threatened Tatum’s peak. In a noteworthy performance, We think he can obtain prior to those heights.
In a noteworthy performance, But can he this year? In, to the delight of the hometown crowd, a noteworthy performance, If each series is an opportunity for Tatum to locate singular more gear -- meeting this moment is a next step. A total of 2 points was the final count for six in this showdown.
The atmosphere definitely favored the standout performer's style. In a noteworthy performance, Even if Maxey and Edgecombe triumph their backcourt matchups, mostly against White and Pritchard, how does Philadelphia combat Tatum and Brown when George is its only star forward?
As options., given all of Boston’s efficiencies — fewest turnovers every battle -- tertiary in crafted 3s every battle and top-five in offensive rebounding rate — it is hard to imagine the Sixers manufacturing enough tallies -- even with Maxey -- Edgecombe and George
Stay tuned for more updates as the pro season reaches its climax. This story continues to evolve.
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