Joel Embiid, Sixers vanquish demons in improbable Game 7 triumph in Boston

May 2, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) silences the crowd after making a shot against the Boston Celtics during the second quarter of game seven of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images BOSTON — If you have been paying attention to the Sixers ‘ first-round series against the Boston Celtics even a little bit, you will have no doubt heard by now that it’s been 44 years since the Sixers beat the Celtics in a playoff series. Until last night.

The Sixers’ 109-100 Game 7 win in Boston was a monumental night in the history of the franchise, for so many different reasons. It was, first and foremost, just a damned good performance in a hostile environment, with the Sixers’ Big 4 all coming through at various points of the game, and in their own individual ways. From Joel Embiid’s dominance through the first three quarters, to Tyrese Maxey’s heroics down the stretch, from Paul George’s flu game to VJ Edgecombe being a 20-year-old rookie dropping 23 points in a Game 7 on the road while having the confidence to request the Derrick White assignment in the second half, the Sixers’ stars played like stars in the biggest stage possible.

Last night was the completion of an improbable comeback, the first time in franchise history that the Sixers came back from a 3-1 deficit to win a playoff series, and just the 14th time in NBA history that such a feat has occurred. The Sixers’ opponent, the Boston Celtics, were a perfect 32-0 in such situations prior to last night’s loss. Last night was a proof of concept over the team that Daryl Morey was looking to build when he added Paul George to the Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid core, and the upside they would have if they ever did get healthy at exactly the right time.

But, most of all, last night was the vanquishing of Joel Embiid’s personal demons. The Boston Celtics have knocked the Sixers out of the playoffs three times in the Joel Embiid era. The first, back in 2018, stung, but it was the very first taste of playoff basketball for Embiid and this iteration of the Philadelphia 76ers.