76ers complete 3–1 comeback to eliminate Celtics, advance to face Knicks

Philadelphia just pulled off the kind of playoff swing that changes how a whole postseason feels. The 76ers went into Boston for Game 7 on Saturday, May 2, and beat the Celtics 109-100, finishing a comeback from down 3-1 in the series. That means Boston is out in the first round, and Philadelphia moves on to face the Knicks starting Monday. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey were the engine for all of it — and Boston never really found a clean answer once the series turned. (gmanetwork.com) ### How did Philly close it out? It started with stars looking like stars. Embiid finished with 34 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. Maxey added 30 points and 11 rebounds. In a road Game 7, that is basically the formula — your best two players have to own the game, and Philadelphia’s did. The 76ers won 109-100 and looked steadier late, which is the part that matters most in these games. (gmanetwork.com) ### Why does the 3-1 part matter so much? Because this was not just a Game 7 win. It was the end of a full reversal. Boston had the series at 3-1 and needed one more win. Instead, Philadelphia took the last three. That makes the Celtics one of the NBA teams to lose a series after leading 3-1(gmanetwork.com)it was only the second Game 7 win in 76ers franchise history. (nesn.com) ### Where did the series actually flip? Turns out it was less about one miracle shot and more about control slowly changing hands. By the end, Boston’s offense had gotten choppy, and the Celtics were living with missed chances instead of clean finishes. Philadelphia, meanwhile(nesn.com)s. Once that happened, the Celtics looked more tense than dangerous. (nesn.com) ### Why is this such a big Boston collapse? Because the Celtics were the No. 2 seed and had home court in Game 7. Teams in that spot are supposed to survive round one, not become the headline for a blown lead. Instead, Boston’s season ended at TD Garden, and the exit lands as (nesn.com)ast. (sportingnews.com) ### What does Philly get now? A fast turnaround and a huge second-round matchup with New York. The Knicks host Game 1 on Monday, May 4, in the Eastern Conference semifinals. So there is barely any pause here — Philadelphia goes straight from surviving Boston to a rivalry-style series against a rested Knicks team. (delawareonline.com) ### Why is the Knicks series interesting? Because this win changes Philadelphia’s ceiling. A first-round exit would have felt like another stalled Embiid season. Beating Boston from 3-1 down does the opposite — it give(delawareonline.com)msn.com) ### Bottom line? This was the rare playoff result that feels bigger than one night. Philadelphia did not just win a Game 7 — it erased a 3-1 deficit against a higher seed, on the road, and knocked out a contender. Now the question is whether that comeback was the peak, or the start of something even larger against New York.