The Boston Celtics gear up to host Game 1 of the first round of the NBA playoffs against a familiar foe.
The Philadelphia 76ers passed the play-in test — beating the Orlando Magic by 12 points at home Wednesday night — and have punched their ticket into the playoffs proper.
Few rivalries have produced more spirit and intensity than Boston vs. Philadelphia. Sure, things may have been one-sided historically — the Sixers haven’t beaten the Celtics in a playoff series since 1982 — but no one can deny there isn’t plenty of drama to see when these two play for all the marbles.
The good thing for the Celtics heading into the playoffs is that they have received positive news from their two main stars, particularly Jayson Tatum.
Boston Celtics Give Big Update on Star
Tatum returned in early March after missing a huge chunk of the regular season. Boston didn’t shut him down for this year after his recovery from Achilles surgery. The 28-year-old forward has described his integration into full action as going quite well.
For head coach Joe Mazzulla, having Tatum back at the best possible time gives him a sense of satisfaction going into the postseason. He is pleased by how the star forward has reinvented himself despite being away for a very long time.
“I think he’s given us exactly what we needed and then some, especially on the offensive end, reading the game and rebounding,” Mazzulla said, according to the Boston Herald. “Just the mentality. It’s been a credit to him working to get back. All he cares about is getting better and winning, and that’s been big for us. He’s helped us on the defensive glass, he’s helped us on offensive reads, and he just continues to be as competitive as possible.”
A Remarkable Season Against All Odds
Boston had a remarkable season for what it’s worth. The franchise was projected to win fewer than 45 games this season after star forward Tatum suffered a torn Achilles tendon during last year’s second-round series against the New York Knicks. That was the injury that kept him out for more than a year.
Instead of collapsing, the Celtics thrived. They won 56 games. They secured the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. And they did it largely without their franchise player.
Tatum is set to play in Game 1 and hopes to contribute further than he did last year. In the 16 games he has played so far, Tatum has averaged 21.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He has gotten up to speed but not quite at his usual level.
However, Boston will do well with his contribution which is one of the best in the league when combined with Jaylen Brown.
The Rise of Jaylen Brown: An MVP Candidate
In Tatum’s absence this season, the Celtics pivoted to the other Jay — and he emerged as an NBA MVP candidate.
Brown turned in a career-high year, averaging a career high in points while leading his team to the second seed in a top-heavy Eastern Conference. Had it not been for the incredible rise of the Detroit Pistons, Brown’s Celtics may very well have been atop the East.
Brown scored 2,038 points this season, becoming the eighth Celtic to reach the 2,000-point milestone. He led the league in field goals made and attempted. He set career highs in rebounds, assists, and free throws made and attempted.
Brown was also cleared to play this week after missing two of Boston’s final three regular-season games.
The Supporting Cast: Depth That Makes a Difference
Beyond the two Jays, the Celtics have one of the deepest rosters in the league. Derrick White had a historic defensive season, joining Dwyane Wade and David Thompson as the only players 6-foot-4 and under to record at least 88 steals and 98 blocks in a season.
Neemias Queta emerged as a legitimate starting center, setting career highs in rebounds, steals, and blocks. Payton Pritchard stepped up as a reliable scorer and playmaker. The bench mob, featuring Baylor Scheierman, Luka Garza, and Ron Harper Jr., proved they could compete with — and even dominate — playoff-caliber opponents.
The Sixers: A Familiar Foe with Something to Prove
The 76ers are not the same team that has lost to the Celtics in the playoffs for decades. They have talent. They have depth. They have something to prove.
Joel Embiid is still one of the most dominant forces in the league when healthy. Tyrese Maxey has developed into an All-Star caliber guard. The supporting cast, including Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr., provides spacing and defense.
But the Sixers have not beaten the Celtics in a playoff series since 1982. That streak weighs on them. And until they break it, the pressure is on Philadelphia, not Boston.
The Verdict: A Pressure-Packed Postseason
After a triumphant regular season, all eyes are on Boston to see what it has up its sleeve this spring. The C’s enter the playoffs as a strong favorite to go through the East.
But the playoffs are a different beast. The margin for error is smaller. The intensity is higher. And the Celtics, for all their depth and talent, are relying on a superstar who just returned from a torn Achilles.
Tatum says he is ready. Mazzulla says he has given them exactly what they needed.
Now, it is time to prove it.
Game 1 tips off this weekend. The rivalry resumes. And the Celtics begin their quest for Banner 19.