Boston Silenced: Philly Becomes Only the 14th Team to Erase a 3-1 Deficit

The “City of Brotherly Love” hasn’t felt this much joy in May since 1982. On Saturday night, the Philadelphia 76ers did the nearly impossible, walking into the TD Garden and silencing the Boston crowd with a 109–100 Game 7 victory.

The win didn’t just punch their ticket to the second round; it completed a historic comeback from a 3–1 series deficit—only the 14th time in NBA history a team has pulled off such a feat. Now, the #7-seed Sixers are headed to Madison Square Garden to face the #3-seed New York Knicks in what promises to be an absolute bloodbath of an I-95 rivalry.

The Embiid Miracle & The Maxey Masterpiece

If you had told a Sixers fan two weeks ago that Joel Embiid would miss the first three games of the series due to an emergency appendectomy and still lead the team to a Game 7 win, they would have called for your medical license.

Instead, Embiid looked like a man possessed. He finished the night with 34 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists, becoming the first player in NBA history to score 100 points in a playoff series despite missing the first three games.

But as great as the big man was, Tyrese Maxey was the closer. Maxey put up a staggering 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists, scoring eight of Philly’s final 10 points. His layup with 1:15 remaining was the dagger that finally broke the Celtics’ spirit.

The Tatum Void and the “Jays” Dilemma

The narrative of the night shifted 90 minutes before tip-off when the Celtics announced that Jayson Tatum would be out with left knee stiffness. It was a massive blow that forced Joe Mazzulla into a radical lineup change, starting rookies and role players like Luka Garza and Ron Harper Jr. Jaylen Brown did everything in his power to keep the ship afloat, dropping 33 points, but without his partner-in-crime, the Celtics’ offense lacked the gravity to pull Embiid out of the paint. Boston struggled mightily from deep, finishing a dismal 13-of-49 (26%) from three-point range.

Game 7 Box Score: 76ers 109, Celtics 100

Turning Point: The Fourth Quarter Surge

After the Sixers built an 18-point lead in the third quarter, Boston mounted one final, desperate charge. Behind a 16–4 run to start the fourth, the Celtics pulled within one point (92–91) with eight minutes to play.

The Garden was shaking, and for a moment, it felt like Philly’s “Game 7 curse” was returning. But then, the maturity of this veteran squad took over. Paul George hit a steadying jumper, and Maxey began his relentless assault on the rim. The Celtics missed four consecutive shots in the final minute, and the comeback was officially snuffed out.

Next Stop: The World’s Most Famous Arena

The reward for this historic comeback? A date with the New York Knicks.

This isn’t just any second-round matchup. It’s the “Nova Knicks”—led by Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart—facing off against the resurgent Embiid-Maxey duo. New York is coming off a record-breaking 51-point blowout of the Hawks, meaning we are looking at two of the hottest teams in the league colliding in the semifinals.

“We had a chance to beat them three years ago and didn’t do it,” Maxey said after the game, referencing their 2023 collapse. “We came in tonight and got it done. Now, onto New York.”

Game 1 tips off Monday night at Madison Square Garden. Buckle up, the East is about to get very loud.