Sixers vs. Celtics Round 1 Playoff Schedule Revealed

The two teams will meet in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 7:50am

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting depicting a basketball game between the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics, with the players' forms abstracted into colorful, angular shapes and the court and arena fading into the background.The Sixers and Celtics' long-standing playoff rivalry is captured in a cubist, geometric interpretation of their upcoming first-round matchup.Philadelphia Today

The Philadelphia 76ers have clinched a playoff spot and will face the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs. The full best-of-seven series schedule has been released, with Game 1 set for Sunday, April 19 at TD Garden in Boston.

Why it matters

The Sixers and Celtics have a long-standing playoff rivalry, with Boston holding the edge in recent postseason matchups. This series will be a tough test for the Sixers as they look to advance past the first round for the first time since 2023.

The details

The Sixers earned the Eastern Conference's No. 7 seed by defeating the Orlando Magic in the play-in tournament. They will now face the No. 2 seed Celtics, who went 56-26 this season. The two teams split their four-game regular-season series, with the Sixers winning the opener in a comeback victory. Sixers head coach Nick Nurse acknowledged the challenge of facing the 'battle-tested' Celtics, who are at full strength with the return of six-time All-Star Jayson Tatum.

  • Game 1: Sunday, April 19 at Boston at 1 p.m. ET on ABC
  • Game 2: Tuesday, April 21 at Boston at 7 p.m. ET on Peacock/NBCSN
  • Game 3: Friday, April 24 at Philadelphia at 7 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime
  • Game 4: Sunday, April 26 at Philadelphia at 7 p.m. ET on NBC
  • Game 5: Tuesday, April 28 at Boston

The players

Nick Nurse

The head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Jayson Tatum

A six-time NBA All-Star for the Boston Celtics who missed the early part of the season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Kelly Oubre Jr.

A player for the Philadelphia 76ers.

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What they’re saying

“They're playing great. They've played really great all season. They've got a core group of guys that have been together for a long time through a lot of winning and a lot of deep runs. Tremendous, tremendous challenge for us, but we'll see if we can go figure something out between now and Sunday.”

— Nick Nurse, Head Coach, Philadelphia 76ers

“They're a battle-tested team. They're at full strength now, so this is a matchup we obviously don't take lightly. We've got to go in there and just play all-out for 48 minutes each and every game. ... Just got to take this momentum and carry it forward.”

— Kelly Oubre Jr., Player, Philadelphia 76ers

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This first-round playoff series between the Sixers and Celtics will be a tough test for Philadelphia as they look to advance past the opening round for the first time in several years. The Celtics' battle-tested roster and the return of Jayson Tatum make them a formidable opponent, but the Sixers will aim to use their momentum from the play-in tournament to pull off the upset.