Celtics vs 76ers

Lore & Background

The rivalry began with the Syracuse Nationals beating the Celtics in three straight playoff series in 1954 (a round-robin tiebreaker), 1955, and 1956. After the Celtics traded for Bill Russell and drafted K.C. Jones, they won their next three playoff series against the Nationals (1957, 1959, and 1961) before the Nationals moved to Philadelphia and became the 76ers. The rivalry continued through the Chamberlain/Russell era, the Dr. J and Bird era, and beyond. The Celtics won the 1981 Eastern Finals 4–3 after trailing 3–1. In 1982, the 76ers defeated the Celtics in the Eastern Finals. The rivalry cooled after 1985, with the teams meeting in the playoffs only in 1985, 2002, 2012, 2018, 2020, 2023, and 2026.

Reader's Guide

The rivalry has featured many memorable playoff series, including the 1965 Eastern Division Finals (won by the Celtics on John Havlicek's steal), the 1968 Eastern Division Finals (Celtics won after trailing 3–1), the 1981 Eastern Finals (Celtics won after trailing 3–1), and the 1982 Eastern Finals (76ers won in 7 games). The 76ers won their only NBA championship during this rivalry in 1967 and 1983.

Did You Know?

• Counting the playoffs, Bill Russell played the 76ers 183 times, the most games by a player against a team in NBA history.
• The 1966–67 76ers were voted in 1980 as being the greatest team in the history of the NBA to that point.
• In a 1983 exhibition game, Red Auerbach came down from the stands to restore order during a fight and was fined by the NBA.
• The 1982 Eastern Finals featured the 'Mother's Day Massacre,' a 121–81 blowout that remains the 76ers' worst playoff loss to date.