The Philadelphia 76ers eliminated the Boston Celtics 109-100 in a decisive Game 7, with tip-off on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at 11:35 PM local time at TD Garden in Boston.
Joel Embiid finished with 34 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, while Tyrese Maxey added 30 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists as the seventh-seeded 76ers became just the 14th team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 series deficit.
The win sent Philadelphia to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the sixth time in nine years and came without Boston’s Jayson Tatum, who was sidelined by a calf injury that forced a late lineup overhaul from Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla.
76ers vs Celtics Match Player Stats: Game 7 Breakdown
Philadelphia jumped out to a 32-19 lead after the first quarter and led by as many as 18 points before Boston mounted a furious comeback behind an 18-4 run to open the second half.
Jaylen Brown kept the Celtics within striking distance late, scoring 33 points on 12-of-27 shooting, but Boston could not overcome a 39 percent shooting night from the field as a team.
- Q1: 76ers built an early 32-19 advantage behind hot shooting
- Q2: Celtics answered with an 18-4 run, taking a brief 37-36 lead on a Payton Pritchard three
- Halftime: 76ers led 55-50
- Q4: Boston pulled within one before Maxey and Embiid closed the door down the stretch
Key Player Stats from Game 7
VJ Edgecombe and Paul George provided crucial secondary scoring for Philadelphia, while Boston’s makeshift starting lineup of Baylor Scheierman, Luka Garza and Ron Harper Jr. struggled to find early rhythm.
| Player | Team | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Shooting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joel Embiid | 76ers | 34 | 12 | 6 | 12-26 FG, 9-11 FT |
| Tyrese Maxey | 76ers | 30 | 11 | 7 | 11-18 FG, 6-6 FT |
| VJ Edgecombe | 76ers | 23 | — | — | — |
| Paul George | 76ers | 13 | — | — | — |
| Jaylen Brown | Celtics | 33 | — | — | 12-27 FG, 6-6 FT |
| Nick Queta | Celtics | — | 12 | — | 11 DREB, 1 OREB |
| Payton Pritchard | Celtics | — | — | 7 | 0 TO, 39 MIN |
Box Score Snapshot — Game 7, May 2, 2026
| Team | FG% | 3PT% | FT% | Turnovers | Rebounds | Largest Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia 76ers | 48% (39-82) | 39% (11-28) | 87% (20-23) | 9 | 44 | 18 |
| Boston Celtics | 40% (37-93) | 27% (13-49) | 81% (13-16) | 5 | 44 | 1 |
Head-to-Head and Historical Series Timeline
The 76ers-Celtics rivalry dates back to November 30, 1949, and Boston still holds the all-time series edge at 344-254 across 598 total meetings, including a 69-54 advantage in the postseason.
Philadelphia’s Game 7 win improved the franchise to just 2-10 all-time in road Game 7s and delivered a measure of revenge for a 2023 second-round elimination in which Boston blew out the 76ers in the decisive game.
| Date | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 19, 2026 | Game 1 | Series opener in Philadelphia |
| Apr 21, 2026 | Game 2 | Philadelphia |
| Apr 24, 2026 | Game 3 | Boston |
| Apr 26, 2026 | Game 4 | Boston |
| Apr 28, 2026 | Game 5 | Philadelphia |
| Apr 30, 2026 | Game 6 | 76ers 106, Celtics 93 — Maxey 30 pts, George 23 pts |
| May 2, 2026 | Game 7 | 76ers 109, Celtics 100 — Philadelphia advances |
- Philadelphia trailed the series 3-1 before winning three straight to close it out
- Boston’s current win streak in the head-to-head series snapped at three following this result
- The 76ers moved on to face the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals
- Tatum’s absence in Game 7 was a significant storyline after he briefly left Game 6 for treatment
- The 2026 NBA Finals that followed this postseason averaged more than 20 million viewers, the most-watched since 1998
What’s Next
Philadelphia opened its second-round series on the road against the third-seeded Knicks, while Boston turned its attention to the offseason after a disappointing first-round exit.
- Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid emerged as Philadelphia’s driving forces through the playoff run
- Boston’s frontcourt rotation, including Nick Queta, will be a focal point heading into next season
- Both franchises are expected to be active in offseason roster moves ahead of 2026-27
