BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 28: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the second half of Game Five of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoff at TD Garden on April 28, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

The Boston Celtics walked into Philadelphia on Thursday night needing one win to end the series. The Eastern Conference semifinals were within reach. Joel Embiid had looked unstoppable in Game 5, but Boston still came in as heavy favorites to advance.

Philadelphia had other plans.

The 76ers dominated from the start and pulled away decisively after the first quarter. The series is going back to Boston for Game 7 on Saturday night. The Celtics now have one game to salvage everything.

What Tatum Said After the Game

Jayson Tatum was asked after the game about how he was feeling heading into Game 7. His response said everything about where his head is right now.

“Bummed to say it’s going to Game 7, no I’m not bummed,” Tatum said. “I was out for 50 weeks, I wasn’t able to play basketball… I get another opportunity to play the game that I love that I had to be sidelined for 10 and a half months.”

Tatum ruptured his Achilles tendon last May. He spent the better part of a year rebuilding from one of the most punishing injuries in sports. Every game this postseason carries weight because of it. A Game 7 at TD Garden is not pressure when you spent 10 months wondering whether you would get back at all.

He finished Thursday with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists while managing left leg soreness through the second half. Late in the game, he rode a stationary bike on the sideline after Mazzulla emptied the bench. Tatum is navigating his body through a playoff run that almost never happened, and he is still standing.

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Brown and the Rest of the Celtics

Jaylen Brown led Boston with 18 points but had four fouls and gave the ball away five times in a difficult night. He did not deflect afterward.

“Game 7 is a game amongst itself, in a sense… the rest of the series, doesn’t matter,” Brown said. “It’s gonna be who’s gonna show up on that day and be a better performing team…There’s definitely some stuff I see that I can improve.”

He also acknowledged something pointed. The bench group that came on late had played with more energy than the starters.

Payton Pritchard finished with 14 points and pushed for more pace when the offense stalled. Derrick White added 11. Neither was enough to offset what Philadelphia brought.

GettyJaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

What Went Wrong in Game 6

The Celtics never found traction in a difficult Game 6.

Boston coughed the ball up nine times before halftime, nearly twice Philadelphia’s total. They connected on just 12 of 41 attempts from beyond the arc. The offensive rebounding that had been a weapon earlier in the series disappeared almost entirely. The Celtics grabbed just one offensive board in the opening half.

Tyrese Maxey poured in 27 points, shooting half his attempts from the floor and matching that efficiency from deep. Paul George was a consistent problem all night, connecting on more than half his three-point attempts and finishing with 23 points. Joel Embiid added 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists as Philadelphia built a lead that stretched to 23 in the second half.

Joe Mazzulla pulled his starters a few minutes into the fourth and turned to his bench. The reserves responded with an extended run that trimmed Philadelphia’s advantage to 14. The starters stayed seated. Philadelphia regrouped and pushed the lead back out to 20. The gap grew well beyond reach in the fourth quarter.

GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – APRIL 30: Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts during the third quarter of a game against the Boston Celtics in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 30, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Final Word for the Celtics

Game 7 is Saturday night at TD Garden. This core knows what a deciding game demands.

The 76ers are playing with confidence right now. Embiid is healthy enough to reshape a series. Maxey has been relentless. George rediscovered his shot at the worst possible time for the Celtics.

What Tatum said after the game is the right frame for all of it. He did not sulk. He put a Game 7 in the context of a season that almost did not happen.

One more game at home. Everything on the line. The Celtics have been here before.

That is what Tatum came back for.