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The Philadelphia 76ers’ 2025-26 season could be approaching its swan song, with the Boston Celtics just one win away from closing out the first-round playoff series and eliminating the Sixers.
Though, to be fair, I think “swan songs” are supposed to be beautiful or brilliant. This feels quite far from that.
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The Sixers trail the Celtics 3-1 in the first-round playoff series that has been a rollercoaster of emotions. Game 1, an embarrassing defeat. Game 2, a triumphant and somewhat unexpected level of turnaround, stealing a win in Boston. Game 3, putting up a fight but back making old mistakes in a close loss. Game 4, the excitement of Joel Embiid’s return quickly marred by yet another crushing defeat.
Like I said, a rollercoaster for sure. One that could come to an end with a loss in Tuesday’s Game 5.
The Celtics’ injury report remains clean as of Monday night. For the Sixers, only Embiid appears, currently listed as probable (post appendectomy surgery recovery). One can imagine that, based on history, it would take a hell of a lot to keep Embiid off the floor for a game like this. On Sunday, he had been listed as doubtful before being upgraded to questionable in the afternoon and then ultimately played 34 minutes (for a 26-point, 10-rebound double-double) in that contest — just 17 days after having his emergency appendectomy.
We’re at Game 5 of this now, there’s not a whole lot new to say in terms of the matchup. We have all seen what the Celtics are capable of. Not just their starters, but their bench too. On any given night, there’s someone to carry the weight for Boston. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were nearly inconsequential through the first two and a half quarters of Game 4, and yet the Celtics were still already carrying a comfortable lead when those two got going thanks to Payton Pritchard repeatedly punishing the Sixers for giving him space behind the arc.
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The Sixers had just one game of ever looking like they were one step ahead of the Celtics, utilizing a high screen pick-and-roll on repeat. It earned Philly their lone win in the series, but Boston adjusted…
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Publish date : 2026-04-28 11:54:00
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