With the NBA in an indefinite hiatus due to COVID-19, we continue our day-by-day look back at the history of the Philadelphia 76ers. We continue down our path into Sixers history every day as we look to fill the void left by the absence of basketball.
The Friday edition of the history lesson focuses on the storied rivalry between the Sixers and the Boston Celtics. In all fairness, it was tough to really call it a rivalry in recent seasons as the Celtics had really owned the Sixers in every sense of the word. Boston had eliminated Philadelphia in five games in the 2018 semifinals and then took the first three matchups of the 2018-19 season before one big night at the Wells Fargo Center changed things.
March 20, 2019
The Sixers were still trying to find their footing. After acquiring Tobias Harris at the deadline to join Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Jimmy Butler, and JJ Redick to form a formidable starting unit, they did not have much time to play together due to a variety of injuries. This night offered up a big opportunity for the group to rise up against a healthy Celtics team.
The teams went back-and-forth as these top teams in the East really flexed their muscles. Embiid and Al Horford had their usual battles before Embiid was fired up by a push from Marcus Smart that caused him to be ejected from the game. Embiid then went on a rampage and he finished with 37 points and 22 rebounds including a huge block of Kyrie Irving late.
This game will be remembered the most by a moment from Butler went he drilled a clutch jumper late to seal it for Philadelphia. He then stayed in the same crouched position with a look in his eye that he knew he made the biggest shot of the night. It was bedlam in South Philadelphia.
It was the night all Sixers fans were waiting for as Butler did his job in the final frame. It was a night that also tipped the scales in Philadelphia’s favor a bit in the matchup with Boston.
The Sixers, of course, would go on to lose in heartbreaking fashion to the Toronto Raptors in the semifinals while the Celtics would go on to lose in a disheartening effort to the Milwaukee Bucks in the same round. Boston would then lose Irving to the Brooklyn Nets and Horford to the Sixers in the offseason.
To start the 2019-20 season, the Sixers would take the first three matchups with Boston before losing the final contest between the two teams in February. There could be another playoff matchup in the works between these two. Whenever the NBA does resume, the teams are scheduled to face each other in Round 1 of the playoffs with the Celtics in the 3 seed and the Sixers placed at 6. [lawrence-related id=27852,27845,27808]