rewrite this title 76ers complete historic series comeback to stun Celtics in Game 7

The Philadelphia 76ers appeared to be heading toward a first-round playoff exit, facing a 3-1 series deficit to the Boston Celtics. With Saturday’s 109-100 win in Game 7, they are heading to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time since 2023.

To be fair, the Celtics should have never been in this position, one win away from closing out the series. With that said, give the 76ers credit for not panicking and playing their way back into this series to give themselves a chance.

In just his fourth game of the series since undergoing an appendectomy, Joel Embiid was sensational with a team-high 34 points (12-of-26 FG), 12 rebounds and six assists. Tyrese Maxey and JV Edgecombe, meanwhile, were just as instrumental to Philadelphia in a series that was historic in multiple ways.

76ers complete historic series comeback against Celtics

As the NBC broadcast noted after the game, this is the first time in franchise history that the 76ers won a series after facing a 3-1 series deficit. They were 0-18 previously and had not defeated the Celtics in a playoff series since 1982.

The 76ers are just the 14th team to win a series after trailing 3-1, and Maxey was a huge reason why in the closing moments of the game.

Philadelphia led by as many as 18, but the Celtics fought their way back to make it a one-point game with under four minutes to play. That is when Maxey began his late-game takeover, starting with this reverse layup under the basket to extend Philadelphia’s lead to three.