Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers Series Preview: Key Players, H2H & Schedule

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Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers Series Preview: Key Players, H2H & Schedule image

Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images

By Joel Reyes

The Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers will square off in the first round of the 2026 Eastern Conference Playoffs after finishing second and seventh, respectively, in the East standings.

Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

Alta Sports breaks down this mouth-watering best-of-seven series, identifying the key players for both teams, their previous head-to-head matchups, as well as the schedule for their upcoming games.

Best-of-7 Schedule (PH time)

Game 1 – Philadelphia at Boston (Monday, April 20, 1 a.m.)

Game 2 – Philadelphia at Boston (Wednesday, April 22, 7 a.m.)

Game 3 – Boston at Philadelphia (Saturday, April 25, 7 a.m.)

Game 4 – Boston at Philadelphia (Monday, April 27, 7 a.m.)

Game 5 – (if necessary) – Philadelphia at Boston (Wednesday, April 29, TBD)

Game 6 – (if necessary) – Boston at Philadelphia (Friday, May 1, TBD)

Game 7 – (if necessary) – Philadelphia at Boston (Sunday, May 3, TBD)

Head-to-head matchups in 2025-26 season

The regular season series between Boston and Philadelphia finished with each team taking two wins apiece. The 76ers won the first meeting on Oct. 23 by a score of 117-116. The Celtics responded by winning their next matchup on Nov. 1 by a score of 109-108.

Their third showdown was another tight affair, with Philadelphia recording a 102-100 win on Nov. 12. Boston salvaged a 2-2 series split after securing a 114-98 win on March 2.

Key players

Jaylen Brown led the Celtics to the No. 2 position in the Eastern Conference, averaging a team-best 28.7 points on 47.7% shooting. He loved playing against the Sixers this season, averaging 27.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.8 assists through four games.

Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images

Tyrese Maxey stepped up his game this season, averaging a career-best 28.3 points per outing. He wreaked havoc against the Celtics in four meetings this campaign, averaging 30.0 points, 8.8 assists, and 4.5 rebounds.

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