Boston Celtics face surprising playoff loss even with a 95% chance to win the series
The Boston Celtics had a tough night, losing Game 7 of the NBA playoffs to the Philadelphia 76ers after leading the series 3-1. This was a surprising and disappointing result for Celtics fans.
After taking a strong 3-1 lead in their first-round Eastern Conference series, the Celtics then lost the next two games, 97-113 and 93-106. Historically, teams up 3-1 in a series win about 95.6% of the time, so most people expected the Celtics to come out on top. Plus, no Celtics team had ever lost a series after being up 3-1 since the team started in 1946.
In tonight’s Game 7, the 76ers won 109-100, with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey scoring a combined 64 points to lead their team to victory right on Boston’s home court. The Celtics were missing their star player, Jayson Tatum, who couldn’t play due to knee stiffness. Coach Joe Mazzulla explained that Tatum just started feeling discomfort on game day, so the team decided not to risk it.
Tatum had been a key player throughout the series, averaging 23 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, so his absence was definitely felt. During Game 7, the Celtics were behind almost the entire time but tried to come back in the final quarter. Still, the 76ers, led by Embiid, held strong and won the game.
Jaylen Brown, who was the 2024 Finals MVP and a champion with the Celtics, did his best with 33 points, nine rebounds, and four assists, but it wasn’t enough. Now, the 76ers move on to face the New York Knicks, who won their first-round series 4-2 against the Atlanta Hawks.
This kind of comeback is rare in NBA history, similar to the famous 2016 win by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Warriors.
Here’s a quick look at the full series results between the Celtics and 76ers:
– Game 7: Celtics 100-109 76ers
– Game 6: 76ers 106-93 Celtics
– Game 5: Celtics 97-113 76ers
– Game 4: 76ers 96-128 Celtics
– Game 3: 76ers 100-108 Celtics
– Game 2: Celtics 97-111 76ers
– Game 1: Celtics 123-91 76ers