Boston overpower Philadelphia in NBA playoffs

April 20, 2026 / 8:13 AM

Sharjah 24: Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined for 51 points, leading the Boston Celtics to a commanding 123–91 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in the opening meeting between the two sides in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

The in-form duo capitalised on the 76ers’ struggles with shooting to hand the Celtics the largest winning margin in the club’s history in a playoff opener.

Tatum and Brown take charge

Tatum spearheaded the offence with 21 points in the first half, before Brown took over after the break, pouring in 16 points in the third quarter alone to put the game beyond the visitors’ reach.

Both players sat out most of the final quarter to rest ahead of Game 2, scheduled to be played in Boston on Tuesday. The series, played in a best-of-seven format, will then shift to Philadelphia, but the Celtics’ lead continued to grow in a complete performance from start to finish.

Historic edge in rivalry

In one of the league’s most storied rivalries, Boston have now won their last six playoff meetings against Philadelphia — a perfect run dating back to the 1985 Eastern Conference Finals.