Celtics Dominate 76ers 123-91 in Game 1 Playoff Opener
The Boston Celtics defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 123-91 in Game 1 of their first-round NBA playoff series on Sunday at TD Garden. The Celtics controlled the game from start to finish, leading by as much as 35 points and never trailing. Jayson Tatum returned from an Achilles injury with 25 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, while Jaylen Brown added 26 points. The Celtics connected on 16 three-pointers compared to the 76ers' four made threes. Philadelphia played without center Joel Embiid, who is recovering from an emergency appendectomy. Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 21 points, but the team shot just 39 percent from the field. The 32-point victory marked Boston's largest margin of victory in a playoff opener in franchise history. Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday at TD Garden.
Key facts
- Final score: Boston Celtics 123, Philadelphia 76ers 91
- Jayson Tatum: 25 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists in first playoff game since Achilles injury
- Jaylen Brown: 26 points for Boston
- Celtics shot 16 of 44 from three-point range (36%)
- 76ers shot 4 of 23 from three-point range (17%)
- Boston led 33-18 after first quarter
- Halftime score: Celtics 64, 76ers 46 - largest deficit for Philadelphia against Boston since 1982
- Joel Embiid out with recovery from April 9 appendectomy
- 32-point victory is Celtics' largest playoff opening margin in franchise history
- Tyrese Maxey: 21 points on 8 of 20 shooting for 76ers
Limits of this briefing
All major sports outlets covered this game with consistent factual reporting. No significant political or ideological angles were present in coverage, as this is a straightforward sports event. The story focuses entirely on athletic performance and team statistics without partisan framing.
Sources
- ESPN: 76ers face familiar playoff fate as Celtics dominate Game 1 Centre
- NBC Sports Boston: Celtics-76ers recap: Jayson Tatum, C's dominate Sixers in Game 1 Centre
- NBA.com: Celtics-76ers Game 1: A dose of 'Celtics basketball' Centre
- Washington Times: Tatum has strong return for Celtics, who rout 76ers in Game 1 Centre
- CBS Boston: Celtics dominate Sixers in Game 1 of NBA playoffs Centre