76ers beat Celtics 109-100 in Game 7

Philadelphia just pulled off the kind of playoff swing that changes how the whole East feels. The 76ers went into Boston on Saturday, won Game 7 by nine, and erased a 3-1 series deficit that had looked like a death sentence a week ago. That matters on its own. But it also flips the bracket — now the Celtics are out, the Sixers are through, and New York gets a very different second-round matchup than it might have expected. (apnews.com) ### How big was this comeback? Pretty big — historically big for Philadelphia, and rare in general. The Sixers became the 14th team in NBA history to win a playoff series after trailing 3-1, and NBA.com noted they had been 0-18 in those situations before this one. They also hadn’t beaten Bost(apnews.com)ng problem for this franchise for decades. (cbssports.com) ### What actually won them the game? Their two stars were the answer, but the shape of the game mattered too. Joel Embiid finished with 34 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists. Tyrese Maxey added 30 points and 11 rebounds. Philadelphia led 32-19 after the first quarter and, by NBA.com’s count, held th(cbssports.com)ixers never fully gave the game back. (espn.com) ### What happened with Boston? The biggest thing is simple — no Jayson Tatum. He missed Game 7 with knee stiffness, which changed the whole balance of Boston’s offense and forced more onto Jaylen Brown and the supporting cast. Brown scored 33, but the Celtics were chasing too much of the night. In a Game 7, losing your best scorer and pr(espn.com)icking contest without the key blank. You can still improvise, but everything gets harder and slower. (apnews.com) ### Why does this feel bigger than one series? Because Boston was the No. 2 seed and Philadelphia was the No. 7 seed. Upsets happen, but this one rearranges the conference. Instead of the Celtics moving on with home-court expectations, the bracket now runs through a Sixers team that just surv(apnews.com)ence — the kind that comes from seeing the season almost end and then dragging it back. (cbssports.com) ### So what’s next for the Sixers? They go straight into a second-round series against the Knicks. NBA.com’s playoff page has Knicks-76ers set as the Eastern Conference semifinal, and the league schedule shows Game 1 on Monday, May 4, in New York, with Game 2 on Wednesday, May 6, also at Madison Square (cbssports.com) road win, but not much time to enjoy it. (nba.com) ### Why is the Knicks matchup interesting? Because this is not a clean, rested favorite walking in. New York gets a dangerous lower seed with top-end shot creation and a center who can bend a defense by himself. But the catch is physical wear. Embiid just carried a huge load, Maxey played a massive role, and the Sixers had to spend real(nba.com)or empty it out. (espn.com) ### What’s the real takeaway? The score was 109-100, but the bigger story is that Philadelphia changed its season — and maybe the East — in one night. Boston is done. The Sixers are no longer the team trying to avoid collapse. They’re the team nobody wanted to see after a comeback like this. (apnews.com)