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BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 22: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics goes to the basket while guarded by VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden on October 22, 2025 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 Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

The Philadelphia 76ers punched their ticket to the postseason with a gutsy 109-97 victory over the Orlando Magic in the Play-In Tournament.

With the victory, the Sixers secured the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference and a first-round matchup with the rival Boston Celtics.

The Sixers and Celtics are far from strangers. They’ve met multiple times in the postseason in recent years, and as two teams in the same division, they play four times every year during the regular season.

The 2025-26 season was no different, as Philadelphia and Boston met on four separate occasions over the course of the campaign – twice in Philadelphia and twice in Boston. The outcomes of those contests aren’t absolute indicators of how the series between the two teams might go, but they’re interesting to look back on nonetheless.

Here’s a look at how the Sixers fared against Boston during the four meetings this season.

Game 1, Oct. 25: 76ers win 117-116

This was the season-opener for both teams, and it was an extremely close, competitive game, as indicated by the final score. Sixers star guard Tyrese Maxey kicked off what would be the best campaign of his career with a 40-piece against Boston in this game, while rookie guard V.J. Edgecombe tallied 37 points and 7 rebounds in his NBA debut. Derrick White and Jaylen Brown both dropped 25 for Boston, but their combined production wasn’t enough to lift them to a season-opening victory.

Game 2, Oct. 31: Celtics win 109-108

After dropping their season-opener to Philly, the Celtics didn’t have to wait long for a shot at revenge as the two teams meet again just over a week later in an NBA Cup contest. Like the first meeting, this was another close and competitive game with the final score being determined by just one point again. This time it was the Celtics who came out on top, though, thanks largely to a 32-point performance from Brown.

Game 3, Nov. 11: 76ers win 102-100

Less than two weeks after their second meeting, the Sixers and Celtics faced off again in yet another close contest. The Sixers had five players in double figures in this game, led by reserve forward Justin Edwards who had one of his better games of the season with 22 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. While the first two games were determined by one point, the third meeting was determined by just two, meaning that the first three games between the teams were determined by a total of just four points. That’s pretty close.

Game 4, March 6: Celtics win 114-98

After playing three games against each other in the first few weeks of the season, the Sixers and Celtics had to wait a few months for the fourth and final matchup. This game was the only one that wasn’t very close on the scoreboard, as the Celtics pulled out a 16-point victory. Maxey scored 33 points for Philadelphia, but it wasn’t enough. Neemias Queta and Jaylen Brown both dropped 27 points to help lead Boston to victory.

Michael Kaskey-Blomain Michael Kaskey-Blomain is an experienced sports media member covering the NBA and NFL for Heavy. He has been in the industry for well over a decade with previous stops including the Philadelphia Inquirer and CBS Sports. Michael also serves as a Philadelphia 76ers reporter and insider for ESPN 97.3 and an NBA and NFL contributor for The Sporting News. More about Michael Kaskey-Blomain

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