A smattering of “we want Boston” chants broke out with just over 60 seconds remaining in last night’s game between the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers.
Those fans’ confidence is admirable and unyielding, but perhaps wrong place, wrong time.
The 76ers secured a 12-point victory inside blissful Xfinity Mobile Arena and punched their ticket into the playoffs. Just one week after Philadelphia star Joel Embiid was hit with an emergency appendectomy, the Sixers rally into a first round series against the Celtics, whom they haven’t beaten in April or May in quite some time.
Boston closed the regular season strong after seeing stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown returning to a full force tandem. The Celtics have lost just three times since Tatum’s return in early March.
Meanwhile, the Sixers, although victorious for now, will continue to fight an uphill battle as Embiid’s status remains unclear. The team presents a different monster when its former NBA MVP is healthy and available.
Up against a familar foe, it’ll take some guts to pull off the unthinkable in round one.
History is on the Boston Celtics’ Side in a Massive Way
This matchup is hard to contexualize.
These two teams have met four times this season and snatched a pair of wins each. But all four matchups saw Tatum on the bench. Philadelphia second-best available player, Paul George, hasn’t faced Boston in 14 months. And considering it highly unlikely Embiid plays in the first round, neither team has seen one another at its best.
But will that end up mattering for Boston?
In the Tatum-Brown era, the Celtics have had the Sixers’ number.
Remember when Embiid tried to plant a seed with a tap to the temple, suggesting the Sixers had crept into Boston’s mind, only for then-Celtic Marcus Morris to respond by raising three fingers and then forming a zero to indicate a 3-0 series lead?
That was roughly eight years ago, the start of the modern day version of this rivalry.
Whether vintage or modern, this clash has been squarely one-sided going back years before any of each teams’ current stars were even before.
Dating back to 1982, the Celtics have won every playoff series against the Sixers. The C’s have won 26 of the 40 meetings since then.
So if Philadelphia truly wants Boston, it better be careful what it wishes for.
The First Playoff Test on Tap for the Jays
The historical advantage aside, the Celtics absolutely will face a test in this first round playoff series. Embiid or no Embiid, the Sixers will be hard to put away — even if they go out in a sweep.
For now, the head of Philly’s snake is explosive scoring guard Tyrese Maxey, whom the Celtics haven’t been able to suppress in four matchups so far this season.
Maxey, 25, has averaged 30.0 points and 8.8 assists per game while shooting 51.4% from the 3-point against Boston this season. The first Boston-Philadelphia bout of the season — a 117-116 Sixers victory — saw Maxey erupt for 40 points on an eye-popping 54.2% shooting overall while going 7-for-9 from 3.
Even without their best player, the 76ers have the talent to battle with the Celtics. Tatum and Brown should be the best players in this series, but Maxey and George could very well go shot for shot with them.
The series could be a close sweep. It could also go seven. It’s impossible to tell between these Atlantic division rivals.
Grab your popcorn Sunday afternoon.
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