The Philadelphia 76ers last defeated the Boston Celtics in the playoffs in 1982. This historic win marked a significant moment in the long-standing rivalry between the two teams.
Key points
The 76ers last defeated the Celtics in 1982 playoffs
Celtics vs. 76ers is the most common playoff matchup in NBA history
Boston has historically dominated the playoff series
Dr. J led the 76ers during the 1982 Eastern Conference Finals
The rivalry continues into the current era with new stars
Mentioned in this story
Dr. JWilt ChamberlainBill RussellJaylen BrownJayson TatumJoel EmbiidTyrese Maxey
Not only is Celtics vs. 76ers the most common playoff matchup in league history, but the squads have put on plenty of shows against one another, from the days of Wilt Chamberlain vs. Bill Russell to the current age of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum vs. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
As entertaining as most Celtics vs. 76ers playoff series have been, however, Boston has dominated the matchup for decades prior to 2026. For the first time since 1982, the 76ers were able to defeat the Celtics in a playoff series.
Here's a look at the playoff history between Boston and Philadelphia and the last time the 76ers beat the Celtics.
Q&A
When did the 76ers last beat the Celtics in the playoffs?
The 76ers last beat the Celtics in the playoffs in 1982.
What was significant about the 1982 Eastern Conference Finals?
The 1982 Eastern Conference Finals was significant as it marked the last time the 76ers defeated the Celtics in a playoff series until 2026.
Who were key players on the 76ers during the 1982 playoffs?
Dr. J, also known as Julius Erving, was a key player for the 76ers during the 1982 playoffs.
How have the Celtics and 76ers historically performed against each other in playoffs?
Historically, the Celtics have dominated the playoff matchups against the 76ers, making their rivalry one of the most notable in NBA history.
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When was the last time the 76ers beat the Celtics in playoffs?
The 76ers and Celtics have met in the playoffs seven times since 1985. Six of those seven series were won by Boston.
The last time the 76ers took down the Celtics in the playoffs was 1982, when the teams met in the Eastern Conference Finals — the third consecutive postseason in which Boston and Philadelphia matched up.
It took seven games for third-seeded Philadelphia to take down a top-seeded Celtics team led by Larry Bird, Robert Parish, Cedric Maxwell, Kevin McHale, Danny Ainge and Tiny Archibald. In fact, the 76ers nearly blew a 3-1 series lead.
Boston dominated Game 1 in what's been referred to as the "Mother's Day Massacre," a 121-81 final score that saw Bird post a triple-double. But the 76ers bounced back, winning the next three games — Andrew Toney dropped 30 points in Game 2 and another 39 points in Game 4, with Philadelphia going up 3-1. Julius Erving and Maurice Cheeks were the other stars for the Sixers.
The series got pushed to seven games as Parish's 26 points in Game 5 and Bird's 17-rebound performance in Game 6 tied it at 3-3.
However, the 76ers avoided blowing their advantage, winning Game 7, 120-106, with Toney going for 34 points and Cheeks adding 11 assists. The Sixers became just the second team to ever beat the Celtics in a Game 7 in Boston.
Since then, Boston has beaten Philadelphia in six of the teams' seven playoff series.
After beating Atlanta in Round 1, Milwaukee in Round 2, and then Boston in Round 3, the 1982 76ers reached the NBA Finals.
However, matched up against the Lakers, Philadelphia fell in six games. It was the same result as the 1980 NBA Finals.
In the 1982 Finals, the Lakers got out to a 3-1 series lead guided by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson, then Philadelphia claimed Game 5. But in Game 6, the Lakers closed it out, with Johnson being named Finals MVP.
The following year, however, the 76ers got their revenge in the same Finals matchup, beating L.A. in a sweep.
76ers 1982 NBA playoffs roster
Here's a look at the 76ers' roster from their 1982 playoff run:
Player
Position
Season PPG
Mike Bantom
F
8.8
Maurice Cheeks
G
11.2
Earl Cureton
F
5.3
Darryl Dawkins
C
11.0
Franklin Edwards
G
3.6
Julius Erving
F
24.4
Lionel Hollins
G
11.0
Ollie Johnson
F
2.3
Bobby Jones
F
14.4
Caldwell Jones
C
7.9
Steve Mix
G
7.2
Clint Richardson
G
4.6
Andrew Toney
G
16.5
76ers vs. Celtics playoff record
Celtics 72, 76ers 57 (total)
Celtics 15, 76ers 8 (series wins)
Boston vs. Philadelphia represents the most common NBA playoff matchup of all-time. It had happened a total of 22 times entering 2026, with this year's first-round meeting being No. 23.
The Celtics, for the most part, have controlled the all-time playoff matchup. They've won 15 of the 22 series, which includes back when the 76ers were considered the Syracuse Nationals. Of those 22 playoff matchups, 13 of them have come in the Eastern Conference Finals/Eastern Division Finals, with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line. Seven were in the second round, and two were in the first round.
With their 2026 series win, Philadelphia broke a six-series losing streak to the Celtics.
