In a thrilling Game 7 showdown that will be remembered for years, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey combined for 64 points to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 109-100 victory over the Boston Celtics. This win marks the Sixers' first series victory over Boston since 1982, sending them to a second-round matchup against the New York Knicks.
For Sixers fans, playoff heartbreak has become an all-too-familiar story. From bizarre plays to unexpected role players ending their postseason dreams, the scars run deep. So when Celtics star Jayson Tatum was ruled out for this pivotal Game 7, the reaction in Philadelphia was surprisingly cautious. Could this finally be their moment? Or was another gut-wrenching loss waiting to happen?
The answer came quickly. Philadelphia showed poise in the first 12 minutes that we haven't seen from an Embiid-led team in a big moment. It all started with the big man himself. Boston opted to start Luka Garza, hoping to drag Embiid away from the basket with pick-and-pop three-pointers. But Embiid had other plans, hunting mismatches from the opening tip. Early on, he found his rhythm from the elbows, rediscovering the touch that had eluded him in the first three games of the series.
What followed was a masterclass in playoff basketball. Embiid's full arsenal was on full display. The Sixers did an excellent job feeding him the ball against mismatches, and Embiid was patient and methodical once he caught it deep. He waited out Boston's double teams without ever looking flustered. Tatum's absence was glaring here—his size and athleticism typically pose problems when the Celtics flood the zone, but this group couldn't bother Embiid in the post. Meanwhile, Kelly Oubre, VJ Edgecombe, and others capitalized on back cuts, and when Boston couldn't pressure Philadelphia's star center, he was either drawing fouls or scoring with ease.
It was a throwback to the classic playoff performances that define legends—and for the Sixers, it was a long-awaited breakthrough. The ghosts of postseasons past finally faded, replaced by the promise of what's next.