76ers defeat second-seeded Celtics in NBA Playoff matchup

Philadelphia 76ers Advance to Second Round with Win Over Boston Celtics

The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the host Boston Celtics 109-100 in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. The win marked the 76ers’ first time overcoming a 3-1 series deficit in franchise history and the 14th time for any team to recover from such a position.

Joel Embiid led the 76ers with 34 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists, while Tyrese Maxey added 30 points and 11 rebounds. The Celtics’ Jaylen Brown scored 33 points, but his injury in Game 6 limited Boston’s offense.

The 76ers won the final three games of the series after losing the first, third, and fourth games. Coach Nick Nurse attributed the team’s success to their ability to guard the ball well, saying “we weren’t giving them great looks” throughout the series.

Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla praised his team’s performance, stating that they played in transition for about 12 straight minutes before being stopped by the 76ers’ defense. The Celtics shot 26.5% from three-point range and 39.8% from the field.

The 76ers will visit the third-seeded New York Knicks on Monday in Game 1 of their second-round series. They were led by rookie VJ Edgecombe, who scored 23 points, and Paul George, who added 13 points. The Celtics’ bench totalled three points, all from Quentin Grimes.

The game was played at the TD Garden in Boston, where the Celtics had a hostile environment due to their fans. Despite this, the 76ers were able to handle it well and come out on top.

Source: Al Jazeera