Celtics' Rebounding Effort Outshines Foul Trouble in Game 1

Nikola Vucevic and the Celtics' big men neutralized the 76ers' rebounding threats in the series opener.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 11:18pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a basketball game in motion, with sharp, overlapping shapes and planes in the team colors of the Celtics and 76ers.The Celtics' aggressive rebounding effort neutralized the 76ers' size and athleticism in a hard-fought Game 1 victory.Philadelphia Today

The Boston Celtics overcame foul trouble to control the boards in their Game 1 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Coach Joe Mazzulla praised the team's collective effort, with Nikola Vucevic and the other big men doing a strong job of keeping the 76ers' rebounding threats like Andre Drummond and Paul Reed off the glass. The Celtics finished the regular season as the third-best rebounding team, a turnaround from earlier in the year that came down to a change in mentality and commitment.

Why it matters

Rebounding has been a key focus for the Celtics this season, and their ability to dominate the boards in Game 1 despite foul trouble was a major factor in their victory. The team's improved rebounding has been a big part of their success, and it will be crucial for them to maintain that edge as the series progresses.

The details

The Celtics' big men, led by Vucevic, did an excellent job of handling the 76ers' different rebounding threats. Vucevic said the Celtics' aggressiveness and ability to adjust to the 76ers' skill sets played a big role. The guards also chipped in, coming to help and grabbing rebounds when the bigs couldn't. Celtics guard Jordan Walsh attributed the team's rebounding turnaround to a change in mentality and a commitment to crashing the boards.

  • The Celtics finished the regular season as the third-best rebounding team in the NBA.

The players

Joe Mazzulla

Head coach of the Boston Celtics.

Nikola Vucevic

Starting center for the Boston Celtics.

Andre Drummond

Center for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Paul Reed

Forward for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Jordan Walsh

Guard for the Boston Celtics.

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What they’re saying

“I thought [Vucevic] was great tonight at the things we expected of him. He took some open shots, but he protected the rim. He kept Drummond and Bona off the glass so that the other guys were responsible for getting rebounds.”

— Joe Mazzulla, Head coach, Boston Celtics

“It's somewhat tricky when you go to help and get caught in between and they get a step on you. Bona is really active on the glass, he moves around a lot. He's bouncy. Drummond is really strong, he uses more of his strength. [Dominick Barlow] is very active, he moves around a lot. It's just different looks with each guy and you just have to have your antennas up to where they are so you can move them off the spot.”

— Nikola Vucevic, Center, Boston Celtics

“I honestly think it's just a mentality and an effort thing. Just a 'want to.' That was something we were struggling with and we finished the regular-season as a much better rebounding team.”

— Jordan Walsh, Guard, Boston Celtics

What’s next

The Celtics will look to continue their strong rebounding performance in Game 2 as they aim to take a 2-0 series lead over the 76ers.

The takeaway

The Celtics' ability to dominate the boards despite foul trouble was a key factor in their Game 1 victory. Their improved rebounding mentality and commitment have been crucial to their success this season, and maintaining that edge will be vital as the series progresses.