Sixers vs. Celtics second-round playoff matchup is locked in
The Sixers will seek their first playoff series victory over the Celtics 41 years after Boston Strangler Andrew Toney scored 34 points in a Game 7 Eastern Conference Finals triumph.
Celtics fans chanted, Beat L.A. in the closing moments of that 1982 contest. Since then, the Sixers have dropped playoff series to Boston in 1985, 2002, 2012, 2018 and 2020.
With a 128-120 Game 6 win Thursday night in Atlanta, the 2022-23 Celtics finished off the Hawks and advanced to a second-round matchup with the Sixers. Boston got 32 points from Jaylen Brown and 30 from Jayson Tatum.
The best-of-seven series schedule is below. As the higher seed, the No. 2 Celtics have home-court advantage. The No. 3 Sixers are slated to host Games 3, 4 and 6.
- Game 1: Monday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT
- Game 2: Wednesday, May 3 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT
- Game 3: Friday, May 5 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
- Game 4: Sunday, May 7 at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
- Game 5: Tuesday, May 9 on TNT
- Game 6: Thursday, May 11 on ESPN
- Game 7: Sunday, May 14
In 2012, Doc Rivers led Boston to a second-round series win over the Sixers in seven games. Current Sixers general manager Elton Brand started for the team at power forward in that series, which was featured in the film Uncut Gems.
Rivers is now in his third season as Sixers head coach. With a first-round series sweep of the Nets, his group earned an extended layoff.
I dont know even know if Ive had a training camp this long, Rivers said Thursday following practice. This is a long time. It really is. Listen, from a coaching standpoint, theres clearly a concern, honestly. Like today, we had two guys run into each other in our scrimmage.
Weve got to play because were basketball players, but youre scared the entire scrimmage. We had three different scrimmages today, and I was sitting there holding my breath the entire (scrimmages). Lets get through it and lets get out of here. Thats how you think. … So its a tough thing.
Rivers has not had any significant updates to offer on Joel Embiid since the Sixers star big man missed Game 4 in Brooklyn with a right knee sprain. However, hes framed Atlanta stretching Boston to six games and pushing the start of Sixers-Celtics back in the process as positive for Embiid.
I think Id be in the minority of my coaches, but I still think this is a good thing, Rivers said. First of all, it gives Joel a chance. And if wed played on Saturday, I dont know how realistic that wouldve been. So thats a good thing.
Embiid scored 52 points vs. a shorthanded Boston team on April 4 in the Sixers one regular-season win this year against the Celtics.
Ive seen him for five years so Im not really worried about it, Shake Milton said of Embiid on Thursday. I know … when hes available, hes going to dominate like he always does. With Jo, its nothing you really have to worry about. You know hes getting his work in and you know hes going to be prepared.
The Sixers’ 54 regular-season wins this year were their most since the 2000-01 season. That Allen Iverson-led, Eastern Conference champion squad is the last Sixers team to go past the second round of the playoffs.
