Philadelphia 76ers Turn the Tide in 48 Hours After Playoff Blowout Loss

The Philadelphia 76ers delivered a stunning turnaround just 48 hours after suffering a 123-91 blowout loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series, defeating Boston 111-97 in Game 2 to even the series at 1-1.

The Sixers’ offensive explosion was led by Tyrese Maxey and rookie VJ Edgecombe, who combined for 59 points. Maxey scored 29 points while Edgecombe recorded a historic 30-point, 10-rebound performance, playing through pain after taking a hard fall on his back early in the game.

After making just four three-pointers in Game 1, Philadelphia shot 19-for-39 from beyond the arc in Game 2, including six triples from Edgecombe. The Celtics, by contrast, shot only 26% from three-point range on 50 attempts.

Jaylen Brown led Boston with 36 points, but the Celtics’ backcourt struggled as Derrick White and Payton Pritchard combined for just 12 points. The 76ers dominated offensively after a slow start, reversing the momentum from Game 1 when Boston had jumped out to a 26-13 lead.

The only player sidelined for either team in Game 2 was Joel Embiid, who remains out indefinitely after undergoing an appendectomy last week. No other players were reported as unavailable for either squad.

Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Thursday, April 24, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. In Philadelphia, according to the 76ers’ official postseason schedule.