The Philadelphia 76ers have completed the franchise's first comeback from a 3-1 series deficit.
The Sixers fended off a late push by the Boston Celtics to secure an 109-100 Game 7 win on Saturday night in Boston.
The Sixers will now advance to face the New York Knicks in the second round.
A SERIES WIN 44 YEARS IN THE MAKING FOR THE SIXERS! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/3SwOun3XZu
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) May 3, 2026
WANTED BOSTON ✅
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 3, 2026
BEAT BOSTON ✅ pic.twitter.com/M5VUOZKG9N
The Celtics got within one point late in the fourth, but Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard both missed chances to get their team a lead for the first time since the second quarter.
Tyrese Maxey then helped the Sixers close out the win over a Celtics team missing Jayson Tatum to injury.
The loss marked the Celtics' first blown 3-1 series lead, as well as Brown's first opening-round series loss as an active player.
Just too many wide-open looks missed by the Celtics down the stretch.
— Justin Turpin (@JustinmTurpin) May 3, 2026
Shotmaking has been a massive story in this series, and it showed in a big moment.
Watching the Celtics brick wide open three-after-three-after-three to end their season and, likely, this style of offense in the NBA.
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) May 3, 2026
The 76ers can win the East if they stay healthy.
— Jake Laskey (@JWLaskey) May 3, 2026
So happy for Joel Embiid. What a heroic performance. 34/12/6 and hobbled down the stretch but still hustling all over the floor. Not sure what happens from here for him or the Sixers but this 3-1 comeback is one hell of an accomplishment.
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnor) May 3, 2026
Tyrese Maxey is a superstar
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) May 3, 2026
Joel Embiid is the best version of himself
The Sixers are a very, very dangerous team
The 76ers actually did, they finally beat the Celtics in the playoffs, and came back down 3-1 nonetheless.
— Matt (@sixringsofsteeI) May 3, 2026
Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid showed up when it mattered the most
First time in franchise history that Boston has blown a 3-1 lead.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) May 3, 2026
The 76ers are the first No. 7 seed in the East to defeat a No. 2 seed since the first round expanded to best-of-seven in 2003.
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 3, 2026
They are also the 14th team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit to win a series. pic.twitter.com/zUImmiPhYP
With the win, the Sixers...
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) May 3, 2026
- become the 14th team out of 302 to overcome a 1-3 series deficit -- the first to do it outside the bubble since the 2016 Cavs in the NBA Finals
- advance over Boston in the playoffs for the first time since 1982, snapping a six-series losing streak pic.twitter.com/a5mduTFEe3
The Celtics' shooting struggles started early Saturday night. The home team shot just 2-for-12 from deep in the first quarter as the Sixers climbed out to an early 13-point lead.
Rese 🤝 VJ pic.twitter.com/0JKesH5CHu
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 3, 2026
Brown helped the Celtics chip away at that lead during the second quarter, but the Sixers stayed in the lead in large part thanks to a Joel Embiid's efforts on both offense and defense during his 19-point first half.
block ➡️ bucket pic.twitter.com/QRT2JPT15a
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 3, 2026
Brown led the Celtics on a 9-2 run early in the fourth quarter to help his team climb within one point late in regulation.
JAYLEN BROWN HAS 31.
— NBA (@NBA) May 3, 2026
WE HAVE A 2-POINT GAME IN THE 4Q OF GAME 7. pic.twitter.com/9K14ztPcQ7
The Celtics were unable to find the clutch bucket they needed before Maxey iced the game with two late buckets.
TAKING OVER. https://t.co/LmanYlRTHx pic.twitter.com/jZQzg6RDhW
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 3, 2026
Brown and Derrick White combined for 59 points as Tatum, who made a surprisingly early comeback from Achilles surgery in March, was sidelined with left knee stiffness.
The Celtics finished the loss having shot 40 percent from the field and just 27 percent from deep.
Embiid led the Sixers with 34 points and 12 rebounds, while Maxey contributed 30 points and 11 rebounds. VJ Edgecombe set a franchise rookie Game 7 record with 23 points.
A pressing question for the Sixers going forward will be the health of Embiid, who took some accidental contact from Maxey late in the fourth quarter and was limping in the final minutes of the Game 7 victory.
Having both Maxey and Embiid available will be key to the Sixers' hopes of succeeding against Jalen Brunson and Karl Anthony-Towns when their Eastern Conference semifinals series tips off Monday at 8 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden.
