Wednesday night delivered a feel-good moment for the Philadelphia 76ers. In their second NBA Play-In appearance in three years, the Sixers defeated the Orlando Magic 109-97, with Tyrese Maxey leading the way with 31 points. That victory secured the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference and punched Philly’s ticket to the first round of the playoffs.
Now, the good vibes face a harsh reality check.
The 76ers will open the postseason against the Boston Celtics, with Game 1 scheduled for Sunday, April 19, at TD Garden. The first two games will be in Boston, with the series shifting to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4 next week.
From the opening odds, this matchup looks less like a competitive series and more like a formality for the Celtics.
The Sixers Are Heavy Underdogs In Round 1
Sportsbooks have installed the Sixers as significant longshots for Game 1. FanDuel lists Philadelphia at +530 on the moneyline with a +12.5-point spread — the widest opening gap among any first-round series. On the series level, Boston sits as a massive favorite, with implied probabilities of winning the series reaching as high as 90-91% across major books (Celtics around -900 to -1000, Sixers +600 or longer).
Those numbers are not surprising, but they are sobering.
Struggles Without Joel Embiid
The biggest cloud hanging over Philadelphia is the status of Joel Embiid. The former MVP underwent emergency appendectomy surgery last week after being diagnosed with appendicitis. While he has been discharged from the hospital and positive recovery timelines have circulated from medical observers, the Sixers are preparing as if their superstar center could miss most — or all — of the first-round series.
Without Embiid, the burden falls heavily on Tyrese Maxey and supporting cast members like Paul George. The Sixers showed resilience in the Play-In win over Orlando, but sustaining that against a deeper, more talented roster is another matter entirely.
History only adds to the pessimism. Since the start of the Joel Embiid era, the 76ers have faced the Celtics three times in the playoffs — and have yet to win a single series.
A Stacked, Healthy Celtics Team Awaits
On the other side stands a Boston team that enters the postseason healthy and motivated. The Celtics boast a stacked roster headlined by a returning Jayson Tatum, who has looked sharp after missing time with an Achilles injury. Boston finished the regular season with home-court advantage and the No. 2 seed in the East, bringing both talent and playoff experience into the matchup.
The early betting narrative is clear: the Celtics are not just favored — they are expected to advance with relative ease. While the 76ers could theoretically steal a game or two in Philadelphia if Embiid returns sooner than anticipated, the opening odds paint a picture of a one-way ticket for Boston straight to the second round.
Of course, playoffs are unpredictable, and series odds can shift based on injuries, adjustments, and momentum. But as things stand, Celtics Nation has every reason to feel confident.
The NBA world will soon find out if the Sixers can conjure any magic against a healthy, loaded Boston squad — or if the parade planning in Beantown can begin in earnest.
For now, the numbers, the history, and the roster disparity all point in one direction.