The Philadelphia 76ers lost to the Boston Celtics 123-91 in Game 1 of their playoff series. Key players included Tyrese Maxey with 21 points and Paul George with 17 points.
Key points
Philadelphia 76ers lost to Boston Celtics 123-91
Tyrese Maxey scored 21 points
Joel Embiid did not play
Celtics jumped on the Sixers early
Game 1 of Round 1 NBA playoffs
Philadelphia 76ersBoston CelticsTyrese MaxeyPaul George
BOSTON -- The Philadelphia 76ers invaded TD Garden on Sunday looking to make some noise in Game 1 of their Round 1 series with the Boston Celtics. Despite not having Joel Embiid, the Sixers were looking to make some noise and make the heavily favored Celtics sweat in the series-opener.
Here are the three biggest takeaways following the loss:
3-point struggles
Apr 19, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Vj Edgecombe (77) shoots the ball between Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) and guard Payton Pritchard (11) in the second half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
Q&A
What were the key takeaways for the Sixers after their Game 1 loss to the Celtics?
The three biggest takeaways include struggles with 3-point shooting, the impact of Joel Embiid's absence, and the need for better defensive strategies.
How did the absence of Joel Embiid affect the Sixers in Game 1 against the Celtics?
Joel Embiid's absence left a significant gap in the Sixers' lineup, impacting their offensive and defensive performance against the Celtics.
Who were the top performers for the Sixers in their Game 1 loss?
Tyrese Maxey led the team with 21 points, followed by Paul George with 17 points and VJ Edgecombe with 13 points.
What was the final score of the Sixers vs. Celtics Game 1 playoff match?
The final score was 123-91 in favor of the Boston Celtics.
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Apr 19, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Vj Edgecombe (77) shoots the ball between Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) and guard Payton Pritchard (11) in the second half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
The Sixers generated some good looks from beyond the arc, but had a tough time converting on those opportunities on Sunday. When facing a team like the Celtics that relies so much on their 3-point shot, the Sixers are going to have to convert on those looks as the series continues. To knock down only four triples on the day is not going to get it done, especially on the road. Even the 23 attempts compared to 44 for Boston isnât going to be enough. The Sixers have to be able to  generate more 3-point looks and match up with this team.
"We know theyâre gonna shoot 3sâŠthey got up 44 tonight," said Maxey. "We got up 23. I mean, thatâs the game right there, man. They made 16. We made four. Thatâs 12 more 3s than what we made, and yeah. The score reflected that."
Defensive issues
Apr 19, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) drives to the basket between Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) and center Andre Drummond (1) in the second half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
Apr 19, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) drives to the basket between Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) and center Andre Drummond (1) in the second half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
The Sixers knew what they had to contend with in this contest, and in this series overall. The challenge is to slow down both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on their drives to the basket. Of course, thatâs easier said than done, but Philadelphia did a poor job of keeping Tatum out of the paint in this one. Tatum had 25 points, but he shot just 1-for-7 from deep as he was living in the mid-range and in the paint. It was a defensive effort that cannot be accepted in a playoff setting.
"He just did a good job of getting downhill," coach Nick Nurse said. "We just were caught in not very good help positions with him, which just can't happen. I mean, he got to some space, and we can't let him do that. That's the biggest thing."
Maxey and Edgecombe struggle
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 19: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks for an opening between Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics and Derrick White #9 during the second half of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at TD Garden on April 19, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 19: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks for an opening between Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics and Derrick White #9 during the second half of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at TD Garden on April 19, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
The Celtics made sure they wouldnât get beaten by Philadelphiaâs star backcourt to start this series. They swarmed both of them and made life miserable as the young guards were not able to find much of a rhythm. On top of that, Boston was able to leave them both open from beyond the 3-point line as neither Maxey or Edgecombe was able to convert on their open opportunities. For the Sixers to have any chance at evening this series up on Tuesday, they will need both guards to bounce back.
Nurse said of their struggles:
Well, I think that they need to kind of let this one go. I think they had some opportunities. It's not like there wasn't some shots that they were taking thatâwe kind of like a lot of those, right? I think both of them had some, you know, some pull ups in the 15, 14, 12-foot range that they're going to hit most of the time, and just didn't seem to be able to get most of those going. I didn't really like our lack of 3-point shooting, but our lack of 3-point attempts. I thought, once we started, and got cold a little bit. I thought we were turning some down, and we just can't do that. We just got to keep playing every possession like a new one. Not worrying about what happened in some of the older ones.
