Celtics, 76ers Battle in Decisive NBA Game 7
The Philadelphia 76ers have forced a Game 7 against the No. 2 seed Boston Celtics after holding them to 97 points in Game 5 and 93 in Game 6. The 76ers, who secured the final postseason spot, limited Boston to under 100 points in all three of their series victories, two of which came on the Celtics' home floor. A win sends either team to the Eastern Conference finals.
Philadelphia's defense has anchored its surge, defying expectations for a team not known for that strength. Tyrese Maxey found scoring spots efficiently, while rookie VJ Edgecombe performed beyond his experience level. Joel Embiid's return boosted the offense, and Paul George contributed steadily without relying heavily on three-point shooting.
Boston shot 29% from three-point range in Game 6 and made 9 of 16 free throws, with Jaylen Brown going 2-for-6 at the line. Starters combined for 46 points as most games in the series stayed one-sided, with only one decided by 10 points or fewer. Derrick White showed improvement in the latest loss, scoring 11 points on 50% three-point shooting with three steals.
The Celtics rely on three-point volume and return to TD Garden for Game 7. They hold a 3-1 record in Game 7s since 2022, with victories over the Bucks (109-81), Heat (100-96) and 76ers (112-88), though they fell 103-84 to Miami at home.
