Jayson Tatum Puts On a Show as Celtics Dominate the Sixers
Apr 19, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) drives to the basket between Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) and center Andre Drummond (1) in the second half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
The Boston Celtics made a powerful statement right out of the gate in the 2026 NBA Playoffs. Facing a Philadelphia 76ers squad without Joel Embiid, still recovering from his appendectomy on April 9, Boston cruised to a 123-91 win at TD Garden. A dominant team performance led by a dazzling Jayson Tatum in his long-awaited playoff return.
The Celtics forward, playing his first playoff game since rupturing his Achilles tendon in May 2025, delivered a standout performance: 25 points on 9/17 shooting, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists in 32 minutes. “There were a lot of days where I wasn’t even sure I would play this season, let alone have the chance to play today,” Tatum said after the game. “I’m proud of what I was able to accomplish and of my return to the game.”
Complete and Utter Team Domination
Jaylen Brown perfectly supported his teammate with 26 points, reinforcing his excellent regular season. “That was Celtics basketball,” Brown said. “We’ve been a team that plays hard all year; that can’t change now that the playoffs have started.”
Boston’s roster depth made all the difference. Joe Mazzulla used 12 players, each contributing something meaningful. Sam Hauser excelled from three (4/6), while Neemias Queta added 13 points. The Celtics hit 16 three-pointers compared to just 4 for Philadelphia (4/23, 17.4%).
This man ruptured his Achilles less than one year ago…
Now he’s back in the playoffs doing this. Tatum is different. pic.twitter.com/TWda8XkhmC
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 19, 2026
For the Sixers, Tyrese Maxey finished as the team’s leading scorer with 21 points and 8 assists, but on a poor shooting night (8/20). Paul George added 17 points, while rookie VJ Edgecombe scored 13 points in his playoff debut. “We missed open shots,” Edgecombe said. “It’s demoralizing, especially against a good team that shoots as well as they do with a playoff crowd behind them.”
The absence of Embiid was painfully felt. Without their Cameroonian center, the Sixers lacked interior solutions and were never able to match Boston’s intensity. “A lot of things went wrong, that’s for sure,” head coach Nick Nurse admitted.
Boston never trailed and led by as many as 35 points. This 32-point victory marks the Celtics’ largest margin of victory in a playoff opener in 41 years. Game 2 takes place Tuesday night at TD Garden, with Boston in a strong position to take a commanding lead in this first-round series.
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