Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers have met 467 times throughout history, with Boston winning 270 times. Both teams meet again Wednesday at TD Garden; expect an exciting game featuring NBA superstars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey among many others.
The Boston Celtics are hoping to rebound from an unpleasant loss against Orlando Magic on Monday night, while Philadelphia 76ers aim to remain competitive in Atlantic Division standings.
In this article, we will discuss the main points or high lights of Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers Match Player Stats.
Tyrese Maxey
Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers are two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, boasting young stars that should lead their teams into playoff contention. On Sunday, Philadelphia 76ers played without Joel Embiid but managed to still take home a win against Boston.
Tyrese Maxey played an integral part in the victory for his team, scoring 23 points, grabbing one rebound, and dishing out three assists over 36 minutes. Maxey has been scoring at an impressive rate and posting strong efficiency numbers; making him an excellent fantasy option this season.
Maxey is also an incredible threat on defense, possessing an enormous wingspan to guard the basket and provide protection. Additionally, he’s a skilled pick-and-roll player capable of running offense with the ball in hand as well as being an exceptional three-point shooter that contributes in terms of both scoring and assists.
Maxey played an integral part in their 126-103 win against Portland despite an initial injury limiting his contributions in the first quarter. He came within one assist of recording a triple-double in the second half and should prove an invaluable asset for fantasy managers.
Since joining the Sixers last month, Jared McCain has been an essential piece for them, becoming increasingly more comfortable as part of the starting rotation and increasing his contributions as time progresses. Jared McCain should see increased playing time if fellow point guard Kyle Lowry (hamstring) remains out for an extended period – so Jared McCain should be rostered in all formats based on expectations for increased minutes played in Lowry’s absence.
Jared McCain
Jared McCain was selected 16th overall in the 2024 NBA draft by Philadelphia 76ers and has proven himself an invaluable member of their lineup so far this season, averaging 9.5 points, 3.0 assists, and 1.2 rebounds per game while showing impressive long range shooting ability with over 90% success rate from long range shots made. Without Joel Embiid on their lineup, McCain has provided invaluable depth.
Boston boasts an impressive record against the Sixers, winning seven out of their last 10 meetings with them and notching an emphatic 117-114 win in February. Boston will look to build upon that victory and extend their dominance against Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia 76ers’ struggles against the Boston Celtics have been compounded by their inability to penetrate into the paint and score points against them. Yet, their backcourt has shown signs of improvement recently; as they look to increase their chances of defeating Boston.
Andrew Toney of the Philadelphia 76ers earned the nickname, “The Boston Strangler,” due to his dominant play against them. On March 21, 1982 at Spectrum Arena – still holding Sixers record for most points scored in one quarter – Toney scored 25 points against them en route to setting their franchise record of 25 in one fourth-quarter playoff game at that venue.
The Celtics opened strong against Philadelphia, scoring 30 points in the first half to take an early 22-point lead. Jayson Tatum and Luke Kornet each posted double-digit performances during that first period, with Sam Hauser and Jared McCain contributing four units each. Philadelphia made strides during the second half, but were never able to catch up to their rivals – who ended up leading by 23 points at game’s end.
KJ Martin
KJ Martin found himself once again trading, this time to his father’s former team where he is slowly adapting and showing his worth through limited action.
Nick Nurse had high praise for Sixers forward Kevin Martin during training camp and made him his starting lineup against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday in a 117-95 win, scoring 12 points while dishing out two assists and collecting four rebounds over 26 minutes of action. Thanks to their roster churn, Martin has seen an increase in athleticism on his roster that benefits him personally.
Martin has averaged 11.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 0.8 combined steals/blocks over his past five games – averaging an impressive 11.7 point, 3.6 rebound average and 0.8 combined steals/blocks rate in 26.3 minutes played over that span. Martin will face the Boston Celtics this Sunday to be put through his paces against them, yet Joel Embiid’s presence likely means Martin won’t see significant playing time over time.
Boston sportswriters gave Andrew Toney, of the Sixers, the moniker “The Boston Strangler” due to his fourth-quarter scoring spree against Boston Celtics during their 1982 Eastern Finals game at Spectrum Center. Toney amassed 25 points that night and still holds the franchise record for most points scored against them during any quarter.
Kenyon Martin Jr. remains uncertain for Friday’s play-in game between the 76ers and Celtics due to right ankle impingement, which would if ruled out see Kelly Oubre and De’Anthony Melton taking up most of Kenyon’s minutes at power forward. It is hoped he can return by next week; until then, however, battles between Marcus Morris and Nicolas Batum may ensue for minutes at power forward.
Luke Kornet
The Celtics completely controlled this game from start to finish and Jayson Tatum, Al Horford and Jaylen Brown each delivered impressive performances. Boston gained an early edge, taking control early and never looking back; their defense held firm against any attempts from Philadelphia but only managed a handful of points during the second quarter.
The third quarter saw the Celtics increase their lead to 15 points, dominating most of it and outscoring the 76ers by 22 points at its conclusion. Finally, in the fourth quarter they took control and scored 27 points to win the game and secure victory.
Luke Kornet scored seven points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and handed out four assists during 27 minutes of work for the Celtics against the Wizards on Sunday in their 112-98 win. Kornet filled in admirably at center in place of injured Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford while drawing some effective defensive assignments in the paint.
Luke Kornet (hamstring) remains questionable for Friday’s matchup against the Chicago Bulls, however his absence would not pose much of a burden to the Celtics, given their hopes of contending for one of four spots in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Without Kornet in their rotation, more minutes may go to Xavier Tillman Sr or Neemias Queta which makes both players worth adding into deep fantasy setups should the Celtics decide not to use him.
Luke Kornet led the Boston Celtics in scoring with six points, three rebounds, three assists, and six swats during Monday night’s 108-89 win against Miami Heat. Additionally, his presence helped the team remain competitive while resting Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford.
Jaylen Brown
On Friday, the Celtics will be without point guard Jaylen Brown due to a shoulder injury, although it’s likely he won’t sit out until after warm-ups have ended before making decisions regarding his availability. Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard could see increased minutes – potentially providing fantasy owners with plenty of scoring potential as they are likely to face fast and physical teams during game play.
First quarter scores favored the Boston Celtics by 22 points with Luke Kornet and Jaylen Brown scoring 11 and seven respectively for Boston, while Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid both reached double figures for Philadelphia. But the Celtics surged ahead during a 23-12 run to lead by two at halftime.
Boston made an impressionful comeback effort to pull away in the fourth quarter, with Jayson Tatum and Derrick White both posting impressive numbers for Boston. But Philadelphia eventually came back with their own strong showing and pulled away for a win by scoring 118-114.
Jaylen Brown averages 18.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per regular-season game for the Celtics, earning three All-Star selections and winning the Finals MVP award in 2024. As one of their key contributors he stands a good chance at becoming their greatest player.
The rivalry between the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics dates back to the early 1970s when both franchises competed in three consecutive Eastern Conference Finals series – each time won by one franchise; but when faced off again for a fourth series loss at Celtics Arena. Since then, their animosity has only intensified with high-profile trades and matchups taking place between them.