76ers, Embiid vanquish Celtics to complete 3-1 comeback - ESPN

BOSTON — It took 44 years, but the Philadelphia 76ers have finally beaten the Boston Celtics in a playoff series.

Behind arguably the best playoff performance of Joel Embiid's career, the 76ers claimed a heart-stopping 109-100 victory in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series. Philadelphia also became the 14th team in NBA history to come back from down a 3-1 deficit to win a best-of-7 series.

Before Saturday's win, the 76ers had gone an NBA-record 0-18 when trailing 3-1 in a series. Boston was 32-0 when holding a 3-1 series lead.

Philadelphia beat Boston in the playoffs for the first time since 1982, snapping a streak of six consecutive series losses — the last three of which included Embiid.

But behind Embiid's 34 points, 12 rebounds and six assists and Tyrese Maxey's 30 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists — making them the first teammates in NBA history to each have at least 30-10-5 in a Game 7 — the 76ers finally broke through against their rivals.

Philadelphia will travel to New York and play the Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals, which begin Monday night.

The latest installment of one of the league's most historic rivalries — the two teams have played each other in 23 series, more than any other matchup in NBA playoff history — included Jayson Tatum being ruled out because of left knee stiffness.

«He just came in today with knee discomfort,» Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said during his pregame media availability a few minutes after Tatum was ruled out. «And we decided, the medical staff and myself, that he would not play.»

The Celtics' starting lineup consisted of Derrick White, Baylor Scheierman, Jaylen Brown, Ron Harper Jr. and Luka Garza, a grouping that had never played together before