Celtics' Joe Mazzulla Respects Injury-Depleted 76ers Ahead of Playoffs

Boston coach isn't taking Philadelphia lightly despite Joel Embiid's uncertain status

Apr. 18, 2026 at 1:23am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fractured, geometric painting depicting a basketball game between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers, with the players and court broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color and form.A cubist interpretation of the intensity and drama of the Celtics-76ers playoff matchup, with the teams' star players fragmented into an abstract clash of shapes and colors.Boston Today

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla is not underestimating the Philadelphia 76ers despite their injury issues, including the uncertain status of star center Joel Embiid. Mazzulla praised the 76ers for reaching the playoffs despite their roster challenges and said the Celtics will need to be at their best to defeat Philadelphia in their first-round series.

Why it matters

The Celtics are heavily favored to win this series, but Mazzulla is taking the 76ers seriously. If Philadelphia can get Embiid back for Games 3 and 4, they could make things interesting and potentially pull off an upset, which would be a major storyline in the NBA playoffs.

The details

The Celtics will host the 76ers in Game 1 of their best-of-7 first-round playoff series. Boston is expected to win the first two games at home, but the 76ers could be a tougher out than anticipated, especially if Embiid is able to return at some point in the series. The 76ers defeated the Orlando Magic in the Play-In Tournament to secure the 7th seed and the right to face the 2nd-seeded Celtics.

  • The Celtics will host the 76ers in Game 1 on Sunday, April 20, 2026.
  • The 76ers defeated the Magic 109-97 in the Play-In Tournament on April 17, 2026 to lock up the 7th seed.

The players

Joe Mazzulla

Head coach of the Boston Celtics.

Joel Embiid

Star center for the Philadelphia 76ers whose status is uncertain for the first-round playoff series against the Celtics.

Tyrese Maxey

All-Star guard for the Philadelphia 76ers who led the team to victory over the Magic in the Play-In Tournament.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We know we have to be at our best because they're going to be at their best. Philly's a great team as you saw throughout the season. To get to this point with all the injuries that they've had, and to be where they're at now, it's going to be a tough test for us. We gotta be ready for it.”

— Joe Mazzulla, Head Coach, Boston Celtics

“If there's one team coming out of the play-in tournament that I think can pull off an upset, I think this is the match-up to watch. I think that's going to be very, very interesting, and I wouldn't be shocked if it's 2-2 heading into Game 5.”

— Brett Siegel, NBA Analyst, ClutchPoints

What’s next

The status of Joel Embiid's injury will be a key storyline to monitor as the series progresses. If Embiid is able to return for Games 3 and 4, it could make the 76ers a tougher opponent for the Celtics.

The takeaway

Despite being heavy favorites, the Celtics are not taking the 76ers lightly. Mazzulla's respect for Philadelphia's resilience in the face of injuries shows the Celtics understand they will need to play their best basketball to advance past the first round.