The Philadelphia 76ers have forced a decisive Game 7 against the Boston Celtics in their first-round NBA playoff series, set for Saturday in Boston. Joel Embiid, fresh from an appendectomy, expressed frustration with the team's long losing streak against Boston. The Sixers, playing with house money, challenge decades of playoff dominance by the Celtics.
The 76ers and Celtics are tied 3-3 heading into Game 7 on Saturday in Boston, a matchup no one anticipated at the series' start. Philadelphia has won twice on the road in Boston during the playoffs, defying expectations for a quick Celtics victory. The teams have met more often than any other pair in NBA postseason history, but the Sixers last beat Boston in a series in 1982—without stars like Wilt Chamberlain or Julius Erving on the roster since then, as noted in historical context around the matchup. Embiid called it a 'ritual humiliation' eight years ago and recently stated, 'I'm tired of losing to them,' while labeling Boston a 'superteam.' After Game 6, he added those comments amid the push for Philadelphia's first series win over Boston in over four decades. @FultonBank captured the quote on social media. Embiid, weeks after emergency appendectomy surgery in Houston, has averaged 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 7.3 assists across three games, playing nearly 36 minutes each despite a history of injuries including Bell's Palsy, orbital fractures, and knee issues. He played only 38 regular-season games this year. The Sixers' season was turbulent: Paul George served a 25-game suspension for violating the league's anti-drug policy, they traded Jared McCain to the Thunder, and slipped into the Play-In before rallying. Boston, the East's No. 2 seed, topped offensive and defensive ratings despite missing Jayson Tatum for much of the year. Tatum returned from a 10-month Achilles injury but showed leg discomfort in Game 6; coach Joe Mazzulla confirmed his availability. Derrick White has struggled offensively, shooting 30.9% and averaging 8.7 points. The Celtics shot 41.6% from three in wins but just 27.6% in losses, holding under 100 points in defeats. Philadelphia enters pressure-free, while Boston faces elimination risk despite regular-season superiority.
