76ers Complete Historic 3-1 Comeback, Topple Celtics 109-100 in Game 7

Key facts

• Philadelphia 76ers beat Boston Celtics 109-100 in Game 7 on Saturday night.
• The Sixers are the 14th team in NBA history to win a series after trailing 3-1.
• Joel Embiid scored 34 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists in 39 minutes.
• Tyrese Maxey added 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists in 45 minutes.
• Rookie VJ Edgecombe contributed 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 three-pointers.
• Jayson Tatum missed the game due to a left leg injury (knee stiffness).
• Jaylen Brown led Boston with 33 points; Derrick White scored 26 points.
• The Celtics shot 13-for-49 from three-point range in Game 7.

A Historic Collapse in Boston

The Boston Celtics’ season ended in stunning fashion on Saturday night as they lost 109-100 to the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference first-round series. The defeat marks the first time in Celtics history that the team has blown a 3-1 series lead, and it sends Philadelphia to the second round for a matchup against the New York Knicks beginning Monday at Madison Square Garden. For the 76ers, the victory is historic in its own right: they become the 14th team in NBA history to rally from a 3-1 deficit to win a playoff series. It is also Philadelphia’s first Game 7 win in the Joel Embiid era—the franchise had been 0-3 in such games before Saturday—and their first series victory over Boston in 44 years.

Embiid and Maxey Deliver Under Pressure

Joel Embiid delivered a legacy-defining performance, scoring a game-high 34 points on 12-for-26 shooting, grabbing 12 rebounds, and dishing six assists. He played 39 minutes despite two collisions with his knee, one of which sent him to the locker room before he returned with a wrap around his midsection. His presence in the paint proved unsolvable for the Celtics. Tyrese Maxey was equally relentless, pouring in 30 points on 11-for-20 shooting, adding 11 rebounds and seven assists in 45 minutes. He iced the game with several clutch buckets down the stretch. Rookie guard VJ Edgecombe provided a critical spark with 23 points, including five three-pointers, along with six rebounds and four assists in 43 minutes. Paul George, listed as questionable due to illness, contributed 13 points on 5-for-10 shooting and played strong defense.

Celtics Undermanned Without Tatum

The Celtics were dealt a devastating blow before tip-off when Jayson Tatum was ruled out with what the team called a stiff knee. Tatum, who returned from a torn Achilles just 298 days earlier, had averaged 21.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in 16 regular-season games. His absence forced coach Joe Mazzulla to deploy a starting lineup—Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, and Ron Harper Jr. alongside Jaylen Brown and Derrick White—that had never played together during the regular season. The makeshift lineup struggled mightily. Scheierman, Walsh, Harper Jr., Hugo Gonzalez, and Luka Garza combined for zero points in 53 minutes. Only five Celtics players scored at all, leaving the offense dangerously top-heavy.

Boston’s Offensive Woes and Late-Game Drought

Despite trailing by as many as 18 points in the second half, the Celtics mounted a furious comeback, cutting the Sixers’ lead to 99-98 with 3 minutes and 49 seconds remaining. But Boston then missed eight consecutive shots, and Philadelphia pulled away. The Celtics’ three-point shooting, a strength all season, abandoned them at the worst possible time: they shot 13-for-49 from deep in Game 7, following marks of 12-for-41 in Game 6 and 11-for-39 in Game 5. Jaylen Brown scored a team-high 33 points on 12-for-27 shooting, and Derrick White added 26 points (19 in the first half) on 9-for-27 shooting, including 5-for-16 from three. But no other Celtic reached double figures, and the lack of depth proved fatal.

A Season of Resilience Ends Abruptly

The Celtics finished the regular season with 56 wins, including 30 at TD Garden, securing the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. They did so despite Tatum’s prolonged absence and relied on a career-best season from Brown, who earned first-team All-NBA honors, and strong contributions from White, Payton Pritchard, and a likable cast of role players. Many analysts had predicted the Celtics would be a play-in team at best, making the regular season a sweet surprise. But the playoffs told a different story. Boston’s tendency to lose focus when ahead—a habit that has plagued them in recent postseasons—resurfaced. Last year they blew 20-point leads to the Knicks in the first two games of a series they lost in six; three years ago they fell behind 3-0 to the Heat before losing in seven. This time, they squandered a 3-1 series lead for the first time in franchise history.

What Comes Next for Both Teams

The 76ers advance to face the New York Knicks in the second round, with Game 1 scheduled for Monday night at Madison Square Garden. Philadelphia will carry the momentum of a historic comeback and the confidence of a team that has finally broken through its Boston hex. For the Celtics, the offseason begins earlier than expected. Tatum’s health will be a central question, as will the team’s ability to address its depth issues and tendency to let leads slip. The loss marks Boston’s earliest playoff exit since 2021, a jarring conclusion to a season that had promised so much.

The bottom line

• Philadelphia 76ers became the 14th team in NBA history to win a series after trailing 3-1, and the first to do so in franchise history.
• Joel Embiid recorded 34 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists, securing his first career Game 7 victory.
• Tyrese Maxey contributed 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists, including clutch late-game baskets.
• Jayson Tatum missed Game 7 with a left leg injury, leaving the Celtics without their star player.
• Boston shot 13-for-49 from three-point range in Game 7 and missed eight straight shots in the final 3:49.
• The Celtics’ loss marks their earliest playoff exit since 2021 and the first time they have blown a 3-1 series lead.