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Celtics vs. Sixers has everything a great NBA rivalry needs…and now we’re adding Tatum and Brown

Sports rivalries rule. I grew up during the early-2000s Red Sox-Yankees battles. I’ll never forget swinging from the absolute heartbreak of Aaron Boone’s home run in 2003 to complete euphoria the following October, when the Sox cowboyed up, erased a…

By Grant Burfeind · Celtics Blog

Published: Tuesday, 10 November 2026 at 11:00 AM

Key Things to Know

Writer Grant Burfeind argues the Celtics-76ers rivalry is peaking with added storylines between Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
The matchup marks the first meeting between former Boston teammates Tatum and Brown since Brown was traded to Philadelphia.
Philadelphia enters the contest leading the Eastern Conference at 9-2, while Boston sits right behind with an 8-2 record.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Writer Grant Burfeind argues that the rivalry between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers is returning to its peak form ahead of their regular-season matchup. The dynamic features added tension following Boston trading Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia, where he now plays alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and LeBron James, while Paul George joined Jayson Tatum in Boston.

Burfeind evaluates the rivalry across four criteria—historical hatred, recent playoff scars, personal history, and competitive stakes—giving it an overall "A" grade. Both Eastern Conference contenders enter the contest in strong form, with the 76ers starting 9-2 and the Celtics standing at 8-2.

Read the full article on Celtics Blog

Celtics vs. Sixers has everything a great NBA rivalry needs…and now we’re adding Tatum and Brown

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