Celtics’ Opponent Finally Revealed For First Round Of 2026 NBA Playoffs originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Three days after the NBA regular season ended, the Boston Celtics finally found out who they’re playing in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
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The Celtics will face the Philadelphia 76ers, who won their NBA Play-In Tournament matchup against the spiraling Orlando Magic on Wednesday to claim the seventh seed in the East.
This will be the latest chapter in the two teams’ storied rivalry, which goes back decades. Boston has the clear edge in their postseason matchups so far, winning 15 of their 22 playoff series against each other, including the last six.
Their most recent postseason bout was a classic, going the full seven games in the 2023 Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Celtics prevailed, only to lose in seven to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The two teams split their season series this year, 2-2. However, all four of those contests were played before Jayson Tatum’s return from his Achilles injury.
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While Tatum is back for Boston, Philadelphia may be without Joel Embiid, who is still recovering from his appendectomy and has no timetable for his return.
As the two seed, the Celtics have home-court advantage in this series and will host the first two games at TD Garden on April 19 and 21, as well as Games 5 and 7 if needed. The series will shift to the Wells Fargo Center for Games 3 and 4, then return for Game 6 if needed.
Boston already has the rest advantage after sitting its starters in the regular season finale and getting this entire week off. If Embiid remains out, that will make life significantly easier for the Celtics as they try to advance to the second round.
More NBA:Â Celtics vs. 76ers Series Schedule: Dates, Channels, Streams for 2026 NBA Playoffs