The Philadelphia 76ers defied all odds against them, completing a stunning comeback against the No. 2 seed Boston Celtics in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
In a deciding Game 7, the 76ers silenced the TD Garden by pulling off a stunning 109-100 win on Sunday, May 3, 2026 (Philippine time), to become the 14th team in league history to overcome a 1-3 deficit and win a series.
The 76ers also beat Boston in the playoffs for the first time since 1982, snapping a streak of six consecutive series losses. Philadelphia made it to the record books, becoming the first No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference to take down a No. 2 seed since the league moved to a mandatory best-of-seven format for the opening round in 2003.
Coming into the series, Boston was highly favored on paper, being the No. 2 seed with a 56-26 win-loss record in the regular season against the No. 7 Philadelphia with a 45-37 card. The Celtics proved it quickly with a 3-1 lead, but things changed when the 76ers won two straight games to tie the series at 3-all.
Even with the series tied, the 76ers remained the underdog. Before Game 7, the Celtics were 32-0 in series where they took a 3-1 lead, the most wins without a loss of any team. The Sixers were 0-18 in series where they trailed 3-1, the most losses without a win of any team.
Despite the odds while playing on the road, the 76ers managed to pull off the huge win in the deciding game. Joel Embiid led the way in Game 7 with 34 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists, while guard Tyrese Maxey was equally impressive with 30 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. Embiid and Maxey are the third duo to ever post dual 30-point, 10-rebound Game 7s on the road. The previous pairs were Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant in 2002 and Dolph Schayes and George Yardley in 1959.
The 20-year-old V.J. Edgecombe, the third overall pick of the 2025 NBA Draft, posted 23 points, six rebounds, and four assists for the 76ers. He's only the second player age 20 or younger to post at least 20 points in a Game 7. The first one was Jayson Tatum.
The Celtics, who played without Tatum due to knee stiffness, were led by Jaylen Brown with 33 points and nine assists, while Derrick White chimed in 26 points including five 3-pointers, and Neemias Queta added a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds.
The 76ers play the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Game 1 is set on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.
