Apr 30, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) reacts after his three pointer against the Boston Celtics during the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
PHILADELPHIA -- The Sixers couldn't ask for a better carryover from one game to the next as the one they got on Thursday night against the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.
Just like they did on Tuesday in a 16-point win up in Boston, the Sixers stymied the visitors with their tremendous defense, played an energetic form of offense that allowed them to find comfortable shots all night and, most importantly, limited the Celtics from gaining rebounds off the offensive glass.
Because of it all, they will now play a do-or-die Game 7 on Saturday in Boston due to their dominating 106-93 win.
The Sixers left no doubt early that this one was going to be a dog fight throughout for the visitors. Coming off his 33-point effort on Tuesday, Joel Embiid established himself at the offensive end immediately, scoring the first points of the game on a quick, fluid turnaround jumper.
He was a force in so many different ways as the Sixers wonderfully mixed getting their big man the ball inside and out, and Embiid was a wall when setting high picks for his teammates.
Philly fans standing on business: “We want Boston”
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All five starters hit double figures for the Sixers, led by 30 from Tyrese Maxey and 23 from Paul George. Embiid contributed 19 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, while VJ Edgecombe had 14 points and eight rebounds and Kelly Oubre, Jr. added 14 points and nine rebounds.
Jaylen Brown scored 18 to lead the Celtics, while Jayson Tatum added 17.
Both teams had to overcome some early foul trouble as Edgecombe picked up his second with 5:45 to go in the first and Brown collected his third foul with 5:05 remaining in the second. Brown had led the team up to that time with 13 points.
The Sixers built their biggest lead of the first half at 56-44 when Maxey scored five consecutive points, the last a pull-up three with 1:08 to go in the first half. Derrick White quickly answered with a three and, after an Embiid missed triple, Payton Pritchard hit a tough layup in traffic to cut the lead to 56-49. Maxey then converted a wonderful driving layup with 3 seconds to go in the half for the nine-point lead.
🏀: 76ers de Filadelfia forzó al séptimo y definitivo juego de la serie de primera ronda del playoff en la Conferencia del Este, al ganar el sexto partido sobre Celtic's de Boston por 106 a 93. Tyrese Maxey encestó 30 puntos Paul Georges agregó 23 unidades y Joel Embiid aportó 19… pic.twitter.com/0iDvCAzWHz
Boston hurt itself by making just 7-of-13 free throws in the first half, as well as committing nine turnovers. The Sixers also held the Celtics to just one offensive rebound in the first 24 minutes.
"We all need to rebound, it just kind of matters who it happens to be going to," said Nurse before the game of limiting Boston's offensive rebounding. "They've got to be involved, there's been too many possessions where we haven't had all five guys engaged throughout the series. It takes all five. It just does. It certainly takes every single guy that steps on the floor, has got to grab some rebounds for us.
"I will say this about this team that we're playing. I think a lot of it has to do with rhythm. They have a good sense when the ball is going up, like a half-count before most teams and they're just out of the starting blocks a half-count before you're used to. And if you're doing anything, providing a little help or whatever, or your normal trying to turn around and find your guy, it's too late. They have such a good feel for each other and they have such a good rhythm of when the shot is going up, at least two guys are out of the blocks a half-count quicker than normal. And then they're going like crazy men, flying and jumping and going after it, giving 100 percent effort. So that also makes it hard."
It was easier for the Sixers on Thursday as they not only kept Boston off the glass, it allowed them to get out and run and use their advantages in speed and quickness. It helped the Sixers build a 69-54 lead with 8:25 to go in the third when Oubre, Jr. blocked a layup attempt by Brown.
Maxey corralled the rebound and threw an outlet to George, who hit a running Edgecombe for a dunk that had the arena the loudest it had been up to that point.
The Sixers grew the lead to 17 at 74-57 when George hit a pull-up running three. The Sixers weren't nearly done as they finished out the third on a 13-6 run for an 82-63 lead heading into the fourth.
From then on it was all about playing smart and aggressive basketball. And now the Celtics are reeling a bit heading into Saturday's clincher.
"We keep the same process we did the entire season," said Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla. "Regardless of a win or a loss, here's what we did well, here's what we have to do better. Pretty consistent and kind of how we've handled the ebbs and flows of the season."
