Photo: Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
Wilt Chamberlain vs. Bill Russell. Dr. J vs. Larry Bird. The “Boston Strangler."
Driving the news: The heated rivalry between the Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers stretches back decades. The teams will meet tonight for the 22nd time in the playoffs, the most among two NBA teams, per ESPN.
The matchup: Led by sharpshooting All-Stars Jayson Tatum and Jalen Brown, the Celtics are favored to get back to the NBA Finals this year after losing to Golden State last season. The duo finished in the top 10 in scoring and can get hot at a moment’s notice.
- One interesting connection: Sixers coach Doc Rivers coached the Celtics to an NBA title in 2008.
Catch up fast: The Sixers swept the Brooklyn Nets and will have rested for eight days before tonight’s game. The Celtics only had a weekend to recuperate after closing out the Atlanta Hawks.
On the flip side, the Sixers’ season has ended in the second round four of the last five seasons, including in 2020 against the Celtics, who have five consecutive playoff series wins against Philly.
Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Boston.
More Boston stories
No stories could be found
Get a free daily digest of the most important news in your backyard with Axios Boston.