Jayson Tatum has strong return to playoffs for Celtics, who rout 76ers
123-91 in Game 1
[April 20, 2026]
By KYLE HIGHTOWER
BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum had 25 points, 11 rebounds
and seven assists in his first playoff game since rupturing his right
Achilles tendon last season, and the Boston Celtics rolled past the
Philadelphia 76ers 123-91 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference
first-round series on Sunday.
Jaylen Brown scored 26 points and Neemias Queta added 13 for the
second-seeded Celtics. |
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, right, goes for a layup against
Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey, second from left, during the
first half in Game 1 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball game,
Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) |
|
Tatum scored 21 points in the first half, playing in just his
17th game this season following surgery last May to repair his
Achilles tendon.
“I’m still rehabbing,” Tatum said. “I still attack rehab every
single day except for when we have off days. ... Still trying to
ramp up.”
Boston never trailed, building a 35-point lead as coach Joe
Mazzulla gave minutes to 12 players. The Celtics connected on 16
3-pointers.
“That was Celtics basketball,” Brown said. “We’ve been the
harder-playing team all year. That can’t change now that the
playoffs have started.”
Game 2 is Tuesday night in Boston.
Tyrese Maxey had 21 points and eight assists for the 76ers, who
played without Joel Embiid. The 2023 MVP continues to recover
following an appendectomy on April 9. It's unclear when he will
be able to return.
Paul George scored 17 points and V.J. Edgecombe added 13.
Philadelphia was 4 of 23 from 3-point range.
Maxey was hounded by a Celtics defense that contested 12 of his
14 shot attempts in the first half and held him to 8 of 20 from
the field.
Philadelphia’s 64-46 halftime deficit was its largest in a
playoff game against Boston since 1982. Coach Nick Nurse called
the Sixers' effort “absolutely unacceptable.”
“We just didn't do enough at either end to settle into the
game,” he said.
Tatum had 10 first-quarter points, punctuated with an emphatic
two-handed dunk, to help the Celtics end the period with a 33-18
lead.
Philadelphia struggled at the outset to keep pace with Boston’s
shooting, making one of its first nine attempts from 3. The
Sixers also had issues keeping Boston out of the paint after
Embiid's understudies, Adem Bona and Andre Drummond, each picked
up two quick fouls.
That prompted Nurse to bring in Dominick Barlow, who played just
10 minutes in Philadelphia's play-in victory over Orlando.
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