Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
TV/Streaming: NBC / Peacock
The Celtics head into Game 4 with a 2-1 series lead after stealing home-court advantage back in Game 3 with a gritty 108-100 road victory on April 24. Boston dominated Game 1 (123-91) but dropped Game 2 (97-111) before responding on the road. Philadelphia evened the series with an impressive upset in Game 2 but fell short in Game 3 despite strong play from Tyrese Maxey.
Team Records
Boston Celtics: 56-26 overall (2nd seed in East), 26-15 on the road in the regular season. Playoff record: 2-1.
Philadelphia 76ers: 45-37 overall (7th seed in East), 23-18 at home in the regular season. Playoff record: 1-2.
Recent Team Forms
Celtics (last 10 games overall): 8-2, averaging 119.9 PPG, 45.5 RPG, 27.2 APG while shooting 49.4% from the field. Opponents average 107.3 PPG. In the series: strong offensive output in wins (123 and 108 points) but vulnerable defensively in the Game 2 loss. Jayson Tatum has looked excellent in his return from Achilles surgery (averaging ~23 PPG, 10 RPG, 7.7 APG in the series).
76ers (last 10 games overall): 5-5, averaging 109.8 PPG, 44.4 RPG, 22.0 APG while shooting 46.3% from the field. Opponents average 110.6 PPG. In the series: explosive in Game 2 (111 points, led by rookie VJ Edgecombe’s 30/10) but struggled to contain Boston’s stars in the other two games. They are 1-2 at home in the playoffs after the Game 3 loss.
Injury Report
Celtics: No significant injuries reported. The team is essentially at full strength, with Tatum fully integrated post-Achilles repair and Jaylen Brown active (25 points in Game 3).
76ers:
Joel Embiid (abdomen/post-appendectomy): Day-to-day. He has been progressing (participated in portions of practice) and has not been cleared yet but is a game-time decision with an estimated return window around April 26. He missed Games 1-3.
Johni Broome (knee): Out (partial meniscectomy).
Other notes: Tyrese Maxey (finger) and VJ Edgecombe (earlier undisclosed) have been available and playing heavy minutes.
Embiid’s potential return is the biggest X-factor—if he plays, it bolsters Philly’s interior presence and rebounding; if not, the Sixers will continue relying on Andre Drummond and smaller lineups.
Key Player Matchups
Jayson Tatum (BOS) vs. Paul George / Sixers wings: Tatum’s playoff return has been stellar. He’ll look to exploit mismatches and create for others (series-high efficiency).
Jaylen Brown (BOS) vs. Quentin Grimes / defensive assignments: Brown has been aggressive (25+ points in recent games) and is a key two-way threat.
Tyrese Maxey (PHI) vs. Jrue Holiday / Derrick White (BOS): Maxey leads the Sixers in scoring (27+ PPG in series). Boston’s elite perimeter defense will test his efficiency.
VJ Edgecombe (PHI rookie) vs. Boston perimeter: Edgecombe has been a revelation (30/10 in Game 2). His athleticism and scoring create headaches for Boston’s defense.
Rebounding/Interior: Celtics’ Neemias Queta and team offensive rebounding (ranked high) vs. Sixers’ Drummond (8.4 RPG leader) and potential Embiid impact.
Series History
This is the 23rd playoff meeting between these longtime Eastern Conference rivals (a league record). The Celtics have won the last six series dating back to 1985 and hold a significant historical edge. Regular-season series in 2025-26 were split, but Boston has owned the postseason matchups.
Betting Trends
76ers ATS: 41-41-0 overall this season; just 2-9 ATS as 7.5-point or bigger underdogs.
Celtics trends: Strong ATS record (49-32-1 overall). They have covered in recent playoff wins.
Over/Under: Over has hit in 41 of 82 Sixers games (50%). Playoff games have trended slightly under without full Embiid minutes, but Boston’s offense pushes totals higher (series averages suggest potential for 210-220 combined points).
Home/road notes: Celtics are 26-15 away; 76ers are strong at home (23-18) but have lost Game 3 despite the venue.
Game Odds
Boston Celtics – 7.5
Philadelphia Sixers 214.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Saturday, April 25, 2026
