We now know the second team that’ll feature in Sunday’s Game 1 at TD Garden. The Boston Celtics will host the Philadelphia 76ers, after Philly’s Play-In Tournament win over the Orlando Magic.
It’ll be the fourth time in the last 10 seasons that Boston and Philadelphia will meet in the playoffs. The Celtics, of course, have won each time -- spanning beyond this past decade all the way back to 1982.
May 23, 1982
— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) April 16, 2026
Andrew Toney, the “Boston Strangler” and the Sixers come to Boston and win Game 7 of the ECF.
Two things haven’t happened since.
The “Beat LA” chant that originated that day has never been forgotten…
…and the Sixers haven’t beaten the Celtics in the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/xsOtwlrTWb
Adding an extra chapter to the rivalry will be fun, sure, but from solely from a matchup perspective, Orlando would’ve been the easier opponent.
Sixers center Andre Drummond’s mindset tells you exactly why.
“Obviously, they're a tough challenge, but I’ve said this before. We have enough guys in this locker room to help us win basketball games,” he told reporters in the locker room Wednesday, per Sixers Wire’s Ky Carlin.
Philadelphia’s roster, while not perfect, is still full of talented players who believe in their team. Drummond, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe aren’t thinking about Cancun, they’re thinking about competing.
Meanwhile, the Magic, a team that the Celtics just beat on the final day of the regular season with eight players resting, sounds and looks ready to tap out. Their offense looked pathetic in Philly with a trip to the postseason on the line. Plus, there are rumors surrounding the future of head coach Jamahl Mosley, and whether or not his players actually want him around.
Source: The Magic are dealing with major turmoil in their locker room with my sources saying that a star player is willing to demand a trade if the head coach Jamahl Mosley isn’t fired at the end of this season.
— Raheem Palmer (@iamrahstradamus) April 14, 2026
They would’ve rolled over and died so quickly at the first sign of adversity in a series with Boston.
The Sixers think they can compete -- but it won't be easy
Though the Sixers are ready to compete, they still understand the challenge that they’ll face in the opening round with Boston.
“They’re playing great,” head coach Nick Nurse explained. “They’ve played really great all season… Tremendous, tremendous challenge for us.”
The Celtics won 21 of 28 games after the All-Star break, where they were sixth in offensive rating, fifth in defensive rating, and sixth in net rating. They and the 76ers split the season series, though three of the four matchups came in the first three weeks of the campaign.
That trio of games was decided by a total of just four points, with Philly winning by one on opening night and by two on Nov. 11, while Boston had a one-point victory of their own on Oct. 31.
Boston won handedly in the most recent game on Mar. 1, 114-98.
“We're playing against winners,” Paul George said of the Celtics. “We're playing against champions. This is where they play their best basketball. We respect that. We’re gonna have to challenge that.”
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