Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM ET
Venue: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Broadcast: Peacock / NBC Sports (national)
Series Context: Boston leads the best-of-seven series 1-0 after a dominant 123-91 victory in Game 1 on April 19 at TD Garden.
Team Records (2025-26 Regular Season)
Boston Celtics: 56-26 (2nd in Eastern Conference), 30-11 at home. Strong defensive identity and elite net rating, especially at TD Garden (+8.3 net rating at home).
Philadelphia 76ers: 45-37 (7th in Eastern Conference), 22-19 on the road. Secured the 7-seed via a play-in win over Orlando (109-97) after a late-season push.
Recent Team Forms
Celtics (last 5 relevant games, including playoffs):
W vs. PHI (Game 1: 123-91) – Blowout fueled by balanced scoring and elite defense.
Strong close to regular season; locked in as 2-seed with Tatum’s return from Achilles injury providing a major boost. Boston has looked playoff-ready, winning convincingly at home.
76ers (last 5 relevant games, including playoffs):
L vs. BOS (Game 1: 91-123) – Overwhelmed without Embiid; struggled to score efficiently.
W vs. ORL (play-in: 109-97) – Gritty road win to advance.
Recent regular-season form was solid enough to reach the postseason, but the Game 1 loss exposed depth issues against a top-tier opponent.
The Celtics enter Game 2 with massive momentum and home-court energy after the Game 1 rout. Philadelphia faces a must-improve-or-go-home scenario on the road.
Injury Report
Boston Celtics: No reported injuries. Full strength, including Jayson Tatum (healthy return from Achilles) and the entire rotation available.
Philadelphia 76ers:
Joel Embiid (C) – OUT (abdomen / post-appendectomy recovery; surgery April 9, no firm return timetable – listed as out for at least Game 2, possible return around April 24 or later).
Johni Broome (PF) – OUT (knee – partial meniscectomy, long-term).
Philadelphia is severely shorthanded in the frontcourt.
Key Player Matchups
Jayson Tatum (BOS) vs. Philadelphia’s perimeter defenders (primarily Paul George / VJ Edgecombe): Tatum looked like his old self in Game 1 (25 pts, 11 reb, 7 ast). Without Embiid anchoring the paint, Tatum can attack the rim and exploit mismatches. Edgecombe (rookie) showed flashes but will be tested heavily.
Jaylen Brown (BOS) vs. Tyrese Maxey (PHI): Brown dominated Game 1 and has historically feasted on Philly (38+ PRA in recent matchups). Maxey is Philly’s primary engine and must explode offensively (averaging 30+ vs. Boston in spots) to keep the Sixers competitive. Derrick White or Jrue Holiday (if on roster) will likely shadow Maxey.
Boston’s frontcourt (Al Horford / Kristaps Porzingis or equivalent depth) vs. Paul George / Sixers bigs: Embiid’s absence creates a massive rebounding and rim-protection void. Boston’s length and versatility should control the glass and paint.
Rookie VJ Edgecombe (PHI) vs. Boston’s wings: Edgecombe had a strong regular-season moment vs. Boston earlier but faces a much different defensive intensity now.
Series History
The Celtics and 76ers have met in the playoffs a record 22 times previously (most in NBA history), with Boston winning 15 series (including the last 6 straight). Philadelphia’s last series victory over Boston was the 1982 Eastern Conference Finals. In the regular season, the teams split their 4-game series 2-2 (Celtics were without Tatum for several of those games). Playoff history heavily favors Boston, especially at TD Garden.
Betting Trends (2025-26 Season + Early Playoffs)
Celtics are 49-33 ATS overall; 5-3 (or better in some reports) ATS as 13.5+ favorites; excellent at home as heavy favorites (6-1 in extreme ML spots).
76ers are 41-41 ATS; 0-5 ATS as 13.5+ underdogs this season.
Boston covers at a high rate after blowout wins and dominates home playoff openers.
Totals: Celtics games have gone under more often at home (36.6% overs); Game 1 stayed relatively efficient despite the blowout.
Game Odds
Philadelphia Sixers 216.5
Boston Celtics – 13.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Monday, April 20, 2026
