More than almost any other NBA playoff permutation, the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers evoke legends of years past. Across eight different decades of knockout basketball, this series has hosted the greats — Bill Russell versus Wilt Chamberlain. Larry Bird versus Julius Erving. Paul Pierce versus Allen Iverson.

Who will shine in the latest draw? Jaylen Brown is a force for his second-seeded Celtics, and Jayson Tatum’s return from a torn Achilles bears a hero’s arc. On the other end, Tyrese Maxey has been electric leading the underdog Sixers. Rookie VJ Edgecombe shows a world of promise, while superstar Joel Embiid tries to make it back in time after an appendectomy.

Here’s what to know about this rivalry’s latest series, with a full broadcast schedule spelled out below.

How to watch No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers

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GameDateTime (ET)TVStream

1: @ BOS

Sun., April 19

1 p.m.

ABC

2: @ BOS

Tue., April 21

7 p.m.

Peacock
NBCSN

Peacock

3: @ PHI

Fri., April 24

7 p.m.

Prime Video

Prime Video

4: @ PHI

Sun., April 26

7 p.m.

NBC

Peacock

5*: @ BOS

Tue., April 28

TBD

TBD

TBD

6*: @ PHI

Thu., April 30

TBD

TBD

TBD

7*: @ BOS

Sat., May 2

TBD

TBD

TBD

* if necessary

ABC and NBC are free over the air. ABC is also available with an ESPN Unlimited subscription.

What to know about the Celtics

For but a moment, this looked like a rare lull for the 18-time champions. Boston started 2025-26 with Tatum on ice, and it promptly lost its first three games.

Fast-forward to the end of the regular season: 56-26 and top-five ratings on both sides of the floor. Of course.

This is the Celtics’ fifth consecutive season with 50+ wins. They went a lights-out 21-7 after the All-Star break. They finished as one of the game’s most intimidating outfits — second in offensive rating, fourth in defensive rating, third in rebounding percentage and third in turnover percentage.

Brown posted career-best marks of 28.7 points and 5.1 assists per game. Tatum returned on March 6, to the shock of just about everyone. He dropped 32 points in a late-March return to form, and looked to have his swagger back by early April.

The Brown-Tatum nexus is surrounded by committed defenders and catch-and-shoot valves. Derrick White and Payton Pritchard bring championship mettle from the backcourt.

Sam Hauser stretches the floor; he hit 39.3 percent of his treys this season. Neemias Queta emerged as a glass-cleaner (three offensive rebounds per game) and a streaky shot-swatter (13 games with at least three blocks). To bolster its rotation, Boston added two-time All-Star Nikola Vučević at the trade deadline.

There are hardly any weaknesses, though the Celtics did go 16-17 in clutch games this season. Joe Mazzulla won at least one playoff series in each of his first three coaching campaigns. He’s favored to do so once again.

What to know about the Sixers

Embiid’s emergency surgery is the latest playoff stinger for an embattled era. The Embiid-led 76ers were on the wrong side of Kawhi Leonard’s 2019 bounce-bounce-bounce-bounce-in stunner. The 2021 team collapsed, Ben Simmons included, when things mattered most. The Sixers lost a series of improbable, painstaking finishes to the New York Knicks in 2024. Without Embiid on the court, Philly seems lined up for an early exit.

To be fair, this year’s group has looked a step off for most of the calendar. Nick Nurse coached Philadelphia to a middling 16th in offensive rating and 17th on defense this season.

Paul George was suspended 25 games for violating league drug policy, and he averaged a relatively modest 17.3 points when he played. Embiid was limited to just 38 games with knee, ankle and oblique injuries. In a surprise deadline move, the front office gave up on second-year prospect Jared McCain.

But there are reasons to believe. Maxey has proven to be a compelling first option. He set career highs of 28.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.9 steals. Edgecombe, the No. 3 draft pick, gave fans some faith for the future. He’s also equipped to compete in the present series, with 80 points scored across four Celtics matchups. Kelly Oubre Jr. had the most efficient season of his 11-year NBA tenure, and he brings an energy that pops off the screen.

The 76ers played well in their Play-In win over the Orlando Magic. Maxey poured in 31 points, Oubre was a game-high plus-19, and Andre Drummond hit multiple 3s, believe it or not.

Embiid’s timeline remains unclear as the playoffs begin, but he is definitely out for Sunday’s opening game. The Athletic’s Tony Jones estimated a possible window open around Game 4 or so. This series gets extra dramatic if Embiid’s teammates can send a message without him.

Head-to-head matchups this season

These two started the season together, and Philadelphia eked out a 117-116 win. Maxey had a 40-piece; Edgecombe notched 34 points in his spirited pro debut. Boston evened the ledger on Halloween with a 109-108 NBA Cup victory. Brown put up 32 points on 13-of-19 shooting from the field.

A third thriller came on Nov. 11. Justin Edwards went on a heat check to mount a comeback, then Oubre broke a 100-100 tie with his put-back game winner.

The Celtics tied the regular-season series in their most recent matchup, a comfortable home W on March 1. The hosts didn’t have Tatum yet, and the Sixers were without Embiid.

Celtics vs. Sixers playoff history

Boston leads the all-time series 15-7. The Celtics and Sixers first met in 1953, back when the latter was known as the Syracuse Nationals.

The franchise became the Philadelphia 76ers in 1963-64, and they faced the Celts for a classic Eastern Division final in 1965. Boston won Game 7 by a single point behind Sam Jones’ legend-making 37 points and John Havlicek’s walk-off steal. The Celtics won another East final in 1968, taking Game 7 at the Spectrum. Bill Russell had 26 boards (!) and 10 blocks (unofficially but !!) in the 100-96 road triumph.

Philly got right in the next decade, winning three of four playoff meetings between 1977-82. After the Sixers locked up Game 7 of the 1982 conference finals, Boston Garden broke out in a conciliatory “beat L.A.” chant. Andrew Toney led that game with a steely 34 points, while Julius Irving added 29 points and six stocks (steals+blocks).

Since then, it’s been wall-to-wall green. Within this current era, the Tatum-Brown Celtics bounced Embiid’s 76ers in 2018, 2020 and 2023. We’ll soon know if the trend barrels onward, or if a momentous break redirects the fates.

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