The Boston Celtics started the 2025-26 season with a stinging loss. They fell 117-116 in a rivalry clash vs. the Philadelphia 76ers on the TD Garden parquet. It was a game they appeared to have control of in the late stages.
With 3:47 left, Neemias Queta was able to corral a Derrick White alley-oop and release from above the rim with enough touch for it to rattle around the cylinder and drop through the net. That gave the hosts a 109-100 lead.
But from that point on, Boston got outscored 17-7. Faring 1/4 from beyond the arc and a pair of turnovers during that stretch didn't help. The Celtics' collapse and the Sixers' late surge propelled Philadelphia from the brink of defeat to a one-point lead with under 10 seconds left.
VJ Edgecombe, who generated 34 points, the most in a 76ers debut since Wilt Chamberlain had 43 in 1959, per ESPN, nearly set the stage for a heroic ending by the hosts. With the visitors nursing a 117-116 lead, the third-overall pick in this year's NBA Draft missed a pair of free throws. That led to Boston having a sideline inbounds from Philadelphia's side of the floor with 7.8 seconds left.
The ball made its way into the hands of Payton Pritchard, who attacked Quentin Grimes, getting into the middle of the paint. With three defenders surrounding him, the six-foot-one guard waited patiently. He then dipped under Grimes' outstretched arm and scooped the ball up towards the rim. Unfortunately, he didn't get enough air on his game-winning attempt to salvage the Celtics' hopes of a season-opening victory.
His chance at redemption, a baseline jumper while wedged in between Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, ricocheted off the far side of the cylinder, sending the hosts to an 0-1 start to the new campaign.
Celtics discuss what went wrong on their final play
Boston's intentions on that sideline inbounds with 7.8 seconds left were to get the ball in the hands of its best player, Jaylen Brown. However, with Maxey sagging off of White as he inbounded the ball, that pass became too difficult to risk.
"We're trying to get it to JB," stated White after the loss. "They made a good job of denying him, and then P came to the ball, and we obviously trust P in those situations a lot. So, I wouldn't change much."
While the Celtics' trust in Pritchard won't waver -- nor should it -- the sixth-year guard conveyed that he made the wrong read on the play.
Payton Pritchard said he made the wrong read at the end of the game and that he should have found Anfernee Simons:
— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) October 23, 2025
“Anfernee and Sam were open on the backside, so just a pass I gotta make.”
Said the Celtics reviewed the film right away pic.twitter.com/nLKqVqKYtc
"It was a play for JB to catch on the baseline, but they kind of shadowed it," explained Pritchard. "I got it; attacked; probably just made the wrong read. Anfernee and Sam were open on the backside. So, just a pass I gotta make."
Pritchard also shared that the team watched film on that play immediately after the game ended. A chance to see what went wrong and avoid repeating the error the next time they're in that situation. It's all part of the growing pains that this season figures to bring for a roster defined by players eager to show what they can do with more responsibility. While opening night didn't go their way, it's only the start of a long journey.