76ers face familiar playoff fate as Celtics dominate Game 1 - ESPN

BOSTON — Since the Philadelphia 76ers took down the Celtics in a Game 7 at the old Boston Garden in 1982, the two division rivals have squared off six times in the playoffs. Each time, Boston has emerged victorious.

And though plenty of caveats apply after the Celtics cruised to victory over the 76ers in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series Sunday, it's going to take a lot for Philadelphia to avoid that streak going to seven.

«That was Celtics basketball,» Celtics star Jaylen Brown said after Sunday's 123-91 win. «We've been a hard-playing team all year; that can't change now that the playoffs have started. But then it's just focusing in, honing in on the details and just winning the fight. Being the harder-playing team and just guarding.

»Our offense can't win us this series. I mean, our offense is important, but we got to make sure we guard. And I think tonight we did a great job."

To say this was a one-sided affair is an understatement. Philadelphia shot 2-for-16 from 3 in the first half and 4-for-23 for the game while allowing Boston to create a 22-3 edge in points off turnovers. That's the opposite of the recipe an underdog playing without a star in Joel Embiid must follow to make this series competitive.

Boston, meanwhile, got wherever it wanted as it led wire-to-wire, at one point pushing the lead to as many as 35 points. Jayson Tatum led the way with a stellar performance, including 25 points on 9-for-17 shooting with 11 rebounds and seven assists in 32 minutes.

Sunday's game was the latest step in what continues to be an impressive return to play from a torn Achilles tendon for Tatum after making his season debut here against the Dallas Mavericks on March 6.

After he slowly ramped his minutes