BOSTON — The Celtics blew a nine-point lead in the final 3:34 of regulation, falling to the Philadelphia 76ers 117-116 in their regular season opener at TD Garden.
Boston led by as many as 13 points in the fourth quarter but the Sixers rallied late behind their young, dynamic backcourt. Tyrese Maxey erupted for a game-high 40 points while rookie VJ Edgecombe chipped in with 34 points, the most points ever scored by a rookie against the Celtics in an NBA debut. The duo helped the Sixers put together 42 fourth quarter points to rally past the Celtics.
The Sixers used a 15-2 run in the final three minutes of regulation to take the lead with a go-ahead corner 3 by Kelly Oubre Jr. with 1:16 remaining in regulation, giving Philadelphia the lead for good. The Celtics and Sixers traded baskets and free throws for the final minute, but Edgecombe opened the door for a Boston comeback after missing a pair of free throws with 7.8 seconds remaining with the Sixers clinging to a one-point lead. Payton Pritchard got two chances on Boston’s final possession but came up short, allowing the Sixers to hold on for the win.
Jaylen Brown (25 points) and Derrick White (25 points) led the way for the hosts in the loss while Neemias Queta added 17 points before fouling out with just under two minutes remaining in regulation.
The Celtics will look to bounce back in their first road game of the season on Friday night when they take on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Here are four takeaways from the Celtics’ loss on Wednesday night.
Celtics have defensive issues against athletic Sixers backcourt: The young guard duo of Maxey and Edgecombe put on a show in the first half, carrying the Sixers offense with a combined 38 points on 14-of-25 shooting from the field. The duo found their rhythm from beyond the arc and also punished the hosts in transition, helping the Sixers pile up a 14-6 edge in fast break points in the first half alone. Edgecombe, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft already looks like a gem, and he took advantage of beating Anfernee Simons and other Celtics perimeter defenders off the dribble plenty in the early going. Their playmaking late also kept the Sixers in the game in the third quarter, setting the stage for a fourth quarter rally.
Joel Embiid still does not look healthy this season: The Sixers star center was playing on a minutes limit in his first appearance since February, but the time off did not appear to do much for his physical mobility. Embiid finished with just four points in 20 minutes on 1-of-9 shooting. The big man continues to labor while running up and down the floor and did not try to take advantage of Celtics mismatches in the post for much of the game, despite having Jaylen Brown and Chris Boucher guarding him in stretches. With four more years at max money still left on the 31-year-old’s deal, Embiid’s contract is quickly looking like a bigger nightmare for the Sixers than they could have ever imagined.
Celtics 3-point shooting sputters: The most prolific 3-point shooting team in the NBA came out of the gates ice cold against Philadelphia, opening the game 5-of-26 from 3-point range over the first 27 minutes with sharpshooters Payton Pritchard, Derrick White and Anfernee Simons all struggling from downtown. The hosts turned the tide early in the third quarter with a 14-4 run that included three straight 3-point makes in transition as Boston got the Sixers on their heels. However, the turnaround did not last as Boston finished the night 11-of-43 from beyond the arc (25 percent), opening the door in the fourth quarter for the Sixers rally.
A tough start could be in order for this group: The Celtics have as tough of a schedule as any team out of the gate over the next two weeks, and letting one slip away Wednesday could be costly. The Sixers got standout efforts from their guards, but they also got nothing from Embiid and were relying on two-way players for major minutes in the fourth quarter. Boston is clearly going through some growing pains with their new personnel, but they are set to play four expected playoff teams in their next six games, with four of those contests coming on the road. Home game opponents (Cavs, Rockets) won’t be easy either, so consistency will need to develop quickly within this group to avoid falling into an early hole in the standings.
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