The 76ers pulled away in the final minutes to beat the Magic in Wednesday night’s 7/8 Eastern Conference play-in game, clinching the 7-seed and a first-round date with the Boston Celtics. The Cs had to wait an extra day to find out their round one opponent, knowing it would be a familiar foe, and it ended up being a team they know as well as any, and one they should be thrilled to see.
The biggest reason this matchup is so appealing right now is an unfortunate, but common one, as Joel Embiid will likely be missing in action. The former MVP was diagnosed with appendicitis last Thursday undergoing emergency surgery.Â
He was ruled out indefinitely and missed the play-in victory over the Magic, with no timetable for his return. A round one return is unlikely and would involve Joel rushing back and playing at less than 100%.
Despite how many times the Sixers have had to get by without Embiid over the years, they really don’t have a viable plan of attack without him. The dropoff at center on both ends to Andre Drummond and Adem Bona is monumental.
Celtics will destroy the Sixers frontcourt without Embiid
The Celtics can attack the Philly big men mercilessly, forcing those big men into uncomfortable matchups and positions on the court. It’s going to get tough for Nick Nurse, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Boston play those bigs off the floor and force them to lean into some incredibly small lineups that the Cs can take advantage of in other ways.
The last time the Celtics and 76ers met was on March 1st, another game that Embiid missed, and Neemias Queta went off for a career-high 27 points, 17 rebounds, and 3 blocks. That was also before Jayson Tatum even returned.
For Philly, it’s going to be a heavy dose of Tyrese Maxey, who’s a tough cover for the Celts - and everyone. The Celtics have trouble with shifty, quick-twitch guys like Maxey, who can pull up on a dime and crush the drop coverage. But without Embiid around, the Celtics can offer lots of help to take away the driving lanes as they throw bodies at him and around screens, forcing him to work for every point.
Beyond that, it’s a lot for the Celtics to like. The Jays are stronger, better, and more athletic than Paul George and Kelly Oubre, and should be able to dominate those matchups on both ends of the floor.
Nurse loves to play aggressive defense, but has the wrong personnel, which leads to his team getting in rotation a lot. They over-help, and the Celtics should be able to take advantage, keeping the ball moving, creating open shots, and punishing them with offensive rebounds.Â
The Jays and the Celtics own the 76ers
The Celtics and Sixers have met three times since the Jays showed up in Boston, with the good guys winning each time. The first meeting was in the 2018 second round, a 4-1 gentlemen’s sweep with the infamous confetti game in Philadelphia.
They next met in the bubble, a first-round series that ended in a Celtics 4-0 sweep. And they most recently squared off in the 2023 second round, a crazy series that saw multiple James Harden hero-games, Jayson Tatum’s 16 points in the final 5 minutes to save the Cs in game 6, and of course his 51-burger in game 7.
In this 2026 installment, Philly’s weaknesses should play right into Boston’s strengths, and barring Maxey going nuclear, PG turning back the clocks, or Embiid coming back way ahead of schedule, it’s hard to imagine more than a sweep or a gentlemen’s sweep this time around.
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