The Celtics and 76ers are set to face off in Game 7 of the first round of the NBA playoffs on Saturday night, and let’s just say it’s a matchup we’ve seen before.
This will be the ninth time the two sides have faced off in a Game 7—the most of any two teams in NBA history. The do-or-die rivalry began all the way back in 1959, and has been played as recently as just three years ago.
The Celtics hold a 6–2 edge in the decisive meetings, and hope to continue that trend in Boston on Saturday.
Below we take a look at the Game 7 history between the Celtics and 76ers. (Home team in bold)
| Year | Round | Winner | Loser | Score | How far did the winner go? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Division finals | Celtics | 76ers | 130–125 | NBA champions |
| 1965 | Division finals | Celtics | 76ers | 110–109 | NBA champions |
| 1968 | Division finals | Celtics | 76ers | 110–96 | NBA champions |
| 1977 | Conference semifinals | 76ers | Celtics | 83–77 | Lost in NBA Finals |
| 1981 | Conference finals | Celtics | 76ers | 91–90 | NBA champions |
| 1982 | Conference finals | 76ers | Celtics | 120–106 | Lost in NBA Finals |
| 2012 | Conference semifinals | Celtics | 76ers | 85–75 | Lost in conference finals |
| 2023 | Conference semifinals | Celtics | 76ers | 112–88 | Lost in conference finals |
Let’s take a closer look at each game, and the series that led up to it.
1959: Celtics 130, Nationals 125
Yes the Game 7 history between these two sides goes back far enough that the 76ers were still the Syracuse Nationals when it first began. At the time, the NBA consisted of just eight teams, six of which reached the postseason. The Celtics won Game 1 of the series, and then the teams would trade games back and forth until Boston was triumphant at home in Game 7. Bill Russell had 32 rebounds, which, wow that’s a lot of rebounds.
With the win, the Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals where they swept the Lakers in four games, starting a streak of eight straight championship seasons for Boston in the Red Auerbach era.
1965: Celtics 110, 76ers 109
By 1965, the Syracuse Nationals had become the Philadelphia 76ers, and the roots of the rivalry that lives to this day were laid. Once again, Boston took Game 1 of the seven-game series and then traded wins with the 76ers until another Game 7 victory at home sent the Celtics to the Finals.
Just one game of the series was decided by more than 10 points, with the two titans trading heavyweight blows with some “Only in the ‘60s or maybe Nikola Jokić” stat lines throughout. In Philadelphia’s three wins, Wilt Chamberlain averaged 31.3 points and 33.0 rebounds per game. The Celtics advanced to the Finals and beat the Lakers once again for their seventh straight title.
1968: Celtics 110, 76ers 96
Three years later, it looked like the 76ers were ready to finally win a Game 7 against Boston. After taking a 3–1 lead in the East finals, Philadelphia was primed to reach the NBA Finals where they would have the chance to defend their title. Instead, the Celtics became the first team in NBA history to erase a 3–1 postseason deficit. In the NBA Finals, you guessed it, the Celtics beat the Lakers to raise another banner.
1977: 76ers 83, Celtics 77
Nearly two decades after their first Game 7 loss to the Celtics, Philadelphia was finally able to return the favor. With the postseason now expanded to include 12 teams, this year’s matchup came in the conference semifinals. After losing Game 1 on a buzzer beater, it would have been easy for the demons from past postseasons to get in the heads of the Sixers. Instead, led by Dr. J and 27 points in Game 7 from World B. Free, Philadelphia knocked Boston out of the playoffs.
In the NBA Finals, the 76ers took a 2–0 lead, but then lost four straight games to Bill Russell and the Trail Blazers.
1981: Celtics 91, 76ers 90
Would a win four years earlier give the 76ers the momentum needed to start a Game 7 winning streak of their own? It would not. Instead, when the teams met again in the 1981 Eastern Conference finals, Philadelphia once again watched a 3–1 lead slip through their grasp as the Celtics won three straight games to close out the series. The 76ers jumped out to a 13-point lead in the first quarter of Game 6 with a chance to finish the series at home, and later held a solid lead with four minutes to play in Game 7, but couldn’t convert either opportunity. The Celtics moved on to take down the Rockets in six games in the NBA Finals.
1982: 76ers 120, Celtics 106
Philadelphia once again took a 3–1 lead in the Eastern Conference finals the following season, and nearly let it slip through their fingers once again. Instead, the 76ers went into Boston and finally secured a Game 7 win on the road. As it became evident that the Celtics would not be able to pull off the comeback, fans at the Garden started chanting “Beat L.A.!” to the Sixers, finding a common enemy in the Lakers. Philadelphia couldn’t make good on that request, losing to the Los Angeles in the NBA Finals in six games.
2012: Celtics 85, 76ers 75
The 76ers entered the playoffs as the No. 8 seed in 2012, but were able to pull off a first-round upset over the No. 1 Bulls after Chicago suffered a slew of injuries including the loss of superstar Derrick Rose. That first-round win set up another date with the Celtics in the conference semifinals. While the underdog Sixers held their own in the series, another Game 7 in Boston brought their season to an end.
2023: Celtics 112, 76ers 88
The most recent Game 7 meeting between these two sides featured many of the same major players that will suit up on Saturday night. In the deciding game, Jayson Tatum went off for 51 points, a career playoff high. While the first half was tightly contested, the Celtics won the third quarter 33–10 and never looked back.
They would lose to the Heat in the conference finals in seven games.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Celtics vs. 76ers Game 7 History: Who Holds the Edge in the Most Common Game 7 Matchup in the NBA?.
