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[Boston Celtics]

Philadelphia 76ers (0-0) at Boston Celtics (0-0) Game #1 10/22/25

Philadelphia 76ers (0-0) at Boston Celtics (0-0)
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
7:30 PM ET
Regular Season Game #1, Home Game #1
TV: NBCSB, NBCSP, NBA-LP
Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, 97.5 Fanatic, Sirius XM
TD Garden

The Celtics begin the season by hosting one of their oldest rivals, the Philadelphia 76ers. This is the first of 4 games between these two teams this season. The Celtics will travel to Philadelphia for games on October 31 and November 11. The October 31 game will be the Celtics first game in the NBA Cup In-Season Tournament. The 76ers will return to Boston for a game on March 1.

The Celtics were 3-1 in the preseason while the 76ers were 1-3. The Celtics beat the 76ers 3-1 last season and they were also 3-1 against the 76ers in the 2023-24 season. The 76ers tanked hard the last part of last season and finished 24-58 while the Celtics finished with a 61-21 record. The Celtics are 275-197 overall all time and they are 159-57 all time at home against the 76ers.

The 76ers haven’t changed much since last season. They added Trendon Watford as a free agent. They also added Igor Milicic, Jr, who went undrafted in this year’s draft. They added VJ Edgecombe with the 3rd pick in the draft and Johni Broome with the 35th pick in the draft. They lost Guerschon Yabusele, Jared Butler, and Ricky Council IV. The 76ers have a veteran core and an exciting lottery pick and if they can stay healthy, they could be a good team this season.

The Celtics are split about evenly between returning and new players. They have 9 returning players and 8 new players on the team this season. Gone are Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, Jrue Holiday and Luke Kornet. New players include Anfernee Simons, Josh Minott, Chris Boucher, Hugo Gonzalez, Luka Garza, Max Shulga, Amari Williams, and Ron Harper, Jr. The Celtics have a core of good players returning along with some young players who are excited to show what they can do. They may surprise a lot of people who are counting them out this season.

After this game, the Celtics go on the road for 3 games. They will play at New York and then at Detroit and New Orleans for their first back to back set this season. They will then return home to face Cleveland before playing at Philadelphia for their first NBA Cup game. The 76ers will return home after this game to face Charlotte and then will host Orlando and travel to Washington for back to back games. Then they host Boston on Halloween before a 3 game road trip through Brooklyn, Chicago, and Cleveland.

The Celtics will begin the season without their All Star forward, Jayson Tatum, who is rehabbing from a torn Achilles. He is expected back anywhere from the All Star break until next season. Jaylen Brown is listed as questionable but since he has gone through a couple of full practices and said that he feels great, I’m expecting him to play. If he is out, Sam Hauser would likely start at small forward.

Joel Embiid returned, after being out since February, to play the final preseason game and is expected to be available for this game. Paul George remains out after left arthroscopic knee surgery in the offseason. He is reportedly close to a return. Trendon Watford will have to wait to make his 76ers premiere as he is out with a strained hamstring. Jared McCain is also out with a thumb injury.

I have listed Philadelphia’s starters from their final preseason game against the Timberwolves. They won that game 126-110 and so I’m thinking they will stick with that lineup for this game. When he returns, Paul George will replace Bona at power forward. I’ve listed the Celtics starting lineup from their final preseason game as well. I’m guessing that Joe will stick with that lineup but he could change things around since there are a lot of questions about the Celtics front court rotation.

Probable Starting Matchups
Point Guard: Payton Pritchard vs Tyrese Maxey

Shooting Guard: Derrick White vs VJ Edgecombe

Small Forward: Jaylen Brown vs Kelly Oubre, Jr

Power Forward: Chris Boucher vs Adem Bona

Center: Neemias Queta vs Joel Embiid

Celtics Reserves
Anfernee Simons
Josh Minott
Xavier Tillman
Jordan Walsh
Hugo Gonzalez
Luka Garza
Baylon Scheierman
Sam Hauser

2-Way Players
Ron Harper, Jr
Max Shulga
Amari Williams

Injuries/Out
Jayson Tatum (Achilles) out
Jaylen Brown (hamstring) questionable

Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla

76ers Reserves
Johni Broome
Andre Drummond
Justin Edwards
Eric Gordon
Quentin Grimes
Kyle Lowry
Igor Milicic, Jr

2-Way Players
Dominick Barlow
Hunter Sallis
Jabari Walker

Injuries/Out
Paul George (knee) out
Trendon Watford (hamstring) out
Jared McCain (thumb) out

Head Coach
Nick Nurse

Key Matchups

Payton Pritchard vs Tyrese Maxey
Maxey averaged 18.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1 steal per game in 4 preseason games. He shot 49.1% from the field and 36% from beyond the arc. He is quick and shoots the ball well and so Pritchard will have his hands full defending him. Hopefully Pritchard can go from 6th Man of the Year to starter and excel at it.

Derrick White vs VJ Edgecombe
Edgecombe was the 3rd overall pick in the 2025 draft and played very well in the preseason. Over 3 games, he averaged 16.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2 steals per game, while shooting 42.5% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc. I expect that the 76ers will once again start him in this game. Hopefully. Derrick White can use his veteran wiles on the rookie to win this matchup.

Honorable Mention
Neemias Queta vs Joel Embiid
In the 76ers preseason finale, Embiid played his first game since February. He finished with 14 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 steals in 19 minutes of play. He shot 50% from both the field and on 3’s. There didn’t appear to be much rust on his game. The Celtics no longer have Al Horford to work his defensive magic on Embiid so the Celtics will need to find another way to slow Embiid down this season.

Keys to the Game
Defense – Whether it is the first game of the season or the last, defense will always be the key to winning. The Celtics were second in the preseason with a defensive rating of 100.2. The 76ers were 17th with a defensive rating of 109.2. The Celtics need to keep that defensive mindset and work hard on that end of the court if they want to win this season. They don’t have as much firepower as they did last season and so they will need to get stops in order to beat teams.

Rebound – As with defense, rebounding will always be a key to winning. Teams need the ball to score and rebounding is a good way to get it. The Celtics led all teams in the preseason, averaging 52.8 rebounds per game. The 76ers were 24th in the preseason with 42.5 rebounds per game. The Celtics need to continue to crash the boards as a team and make an effort to grab every rebound.

Take Care of the Ball – The Celtics need to take care of the basketball and limit turnovers. They were 31st in the preseason, averaging 21.3 turnovers per game. Perhaps that can be explained by the number of new players getting to know each other, but they won’t win many games in the regular season if they turn the ball over 21 times. They have to make careful passes and also be aware while dribbling and not drive into a crowd or allow a defender to steal the ball.

Run, Run, Run – Almost every season a coach will say that his team is going to run and play faster but then they don’t. Joe Mazzulla has vowed to play faster this season and he seems to have the players to do it. The Celtics were 7th in pace in the preseason and the team did play much faster than they have in the past. They need to continue to run and to play fast on every possession this season.

X-Factors
First Game – Both teams are playing in their first game of the season. Preseason doesn’t count much because the starting lineups for both teams got limit minutes on the court together. The Celtics have been off a full week while the 76ers have been off 5 days since their last game so there could be some rust along with some jitters that come from playing as a team for real for the first time.

Coaching – Joe Mazzulla is starting his 4th season as Celtics’ head coach. He won a title with a very talented team that was packed with shooting stars. Now he is going to have to win in a different way since his personnel has changed and so he must prove that he can. Nick Nurse is starting his 8th season as a head coach overall and his 3rd as the 76ers head coach. He won a title with the Raptors in 2019. The 76ers are finally close to healthy and so Nurse has a lot to prove with this team as well.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/boston-...ers-0-0-at-boston-celtics-0-0-game-1-10-22-25

 

[Boston Celtics]

10 takeaways from a slow and sloppy start against Phily

#1 – Opening the season with a Spain PnR​

Last season with the bench unit — especially with Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, and Luke Kornet — the Celtics ran a lot of Spain pick-and-rolls to generate rim attempts and open threes. This season, Pritchard and Hauser are part of the starting five, and the season started with this play.

With Neemias Queta as the first screener, Hauser as the second, and Derrick White as the ball-handler, the Celtics used this play to attack Joël Embiid’s drop coverage. As Hauser comes to set a screen on Embiid’s back, the Sixers center can’t retreat to the rim, leaving Queta open.

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This play was also used later with Simons as the ball-handler — a smart approach to create chaos in the defense. The multiplicity of screens forces the defense to communicate, which can lead to mistakes. On the first play, it created a shooting pocket for Simons.

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The Celtics ran it a few more times in that game, and we’ll see more of these throughout the season. The execution of the screens and movements will be key to generating efficient offense around this play.

#2 – Jaylen Brown on Joël Embiid​

Mister Joe Mazzulla loves inverted matchups, and he stuck to it last night. Without Jrue Holiday or Jayson Tatum, it was Jaylen Brown who took on the Joël Embiid assignment. While JB did his best to keep Embiid away, Queta could roam around the rim. Since Dominick Barlow is considered a non-shooter, the Portuguese big man could play the goalkeeper role in the paint.

This took away some easy attempts, and with Embiid’s lack of mobility and burst, it was easy enough for Brown to push him away from the paint. The Sixers tried to use screens to force better matchups for Embiid, but the Celtics were able to protect their own. In the play below, JB is forced to switch away from Embiid, so Queta leaves his player to tag the Sixers center while White rotates down to take Queta’s previous matchup.

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This defensive assignment was enough to limit Embiid (who seems to be struggling with his body). Yet, despite a neutralized Embiid, the Celtics’ defense collapsed on multiple occasions — especially in the backcourt.

#3 – Defensive backcourt issues​

We knew it was coming, but the drop-off in the Celtics’ backcourt defense was obvious — especially against such quick players as Tyrese Maxey and the rookie VJ Edgecombe. They combined for 26 buckets and 9 assists, with 34 points from the rookie in his first game.

Not to take anything away from Edgecombe’s unique performance, but the Celtics’ defense (and some shooting luck) definitely helped him out.

Going from Derrick White – Jrue Holiday to Payton Pritchard – Anfernee Simons as a defensive backcourt makes you humble… pic.twitter.com/bjUvLXPyoQ

— Azad (@azmatlanba) October 23, 2025

Both guards were quicker and more aggressive than the Celtics defenders, and they exploited the lack of ball pressure. On top of that, the Celtics’ defensive structure looks weaker than last year, not only in the backcourt. In the play below, White can’t contain Maxey, Brown’s help is useless, and Queta is set on the wrong side of the paint to have any impact at the rim.

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The Celtics’ defense has been elite for the last few years thanks to ball pressure and rim protection, forcing opponents to take shots they didn’t want. Last night, the Sixers’ backcourt had a great offensive night because they could get to their spots easily. But while they were having fun on offense, the Celtics went back to their hunting habits.

#4 – Going after Maxey​

The Sixers’ guard has been a target of the Celtics’ offense since he started his career, and there was no reason for that to change now. As soon as the game started, the Celtics went after him — and they kept doing it, with multiple players.

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This often forced the Sixers to collapse in an effort to protect him, which created open looks for the Celtics.

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Nonetheless, as Nik noticed, the Celtics stopped (maybe at the worst time) going after him. That was a missed opportunity, as attacking Maxey generates a double positive effect: first, it’s often good offense, and second, it forces him into foul trouble, which could take him out of the game.

Celtics only went at Tyrese Maxey 3 times after he picked up his 5th foul 47 second in to the 4th quarter

— NikNBA (@NIKNBAYT) October 23, 2025

#5 – Lack of ball movement​

If the Celtics’ mismatch offense was still there last night, the ball movement wasn’t. Only 16 assists for 41 field goals made — that’s a 39% assist rate, the worst of any team last night, and far from the Celtics’ 2024–25 mark of 63%.

#6 – 25% from deep​

The poor assist rate mentioned above is a direct consequence of the Celtics’ inability to convert catch-and-shoots — but it’s not only about shooting luck. While some of the Celtics’ shooters will have better nights than yesterday, this low percentage also tells a story.

The Celtics don’t have the same quality of creators anymore; therefore, there will be fewer gaps to exploit in opposing defenses, and catch-and-shoots will be harder to create. Also, the quality of their catch-and-shoot threats has decreased — the Celtics can’t expect Xavier Tillman, Chris Boucher, or Luka Garza to punish defenses like Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Jrue Holiday did.

The roster has changed. The approach needs to evolve too.

#7 – Where is the speed?​

Speaking of the offensive approach — there was a lot of talk about speed and transition this summer. So, where did it go?

After time-out possession… and it takes you 18 seconds to generate a contested pull-up… pic.twitter.com/fQnzdlTfcR

— Azad (@azmatlanba) October 23, 2025

The ATO above is just one example, but the Celtics played at the same pace they’re used to. Plus, the transition emphasis that was brought up a lot during the offseason was missing too. Only 14 forced turnovers, leading to just 14 points generated from those defensive stops.

With this Celtics roster’s athleticism, there’s plenty of room to play faster and generate transition opportunities — but the offensive and defensive habits need to change.

#8 – Queta rim-running opportunities​

Speaking of important habits to develop: using and finding Queta as a rim-runner. The Portuguese big man has improved a lot at creating space with his screens and flashing to the rim.

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This creates many opportunities for easy buckets at the rim… but his teammates must learn to look for him. In the play below, it’s a perfect example of this habit not being there yet. After another good screen, Queta flashes to the rim, but Pritchard instead takes a step-back pull-up triple.

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#9 – White leading the charge in the third​

In the third, the Celtics’ guard took over and showed the importance of speed and attacking before the opponent’s defensive structure was set.

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Often from the right, White made quick decisions to drive, attack on the pick-and-roll, or pull up when noticing the space the defense gave him.

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Thanks to this aggressive approach, White scored 13 points in less than 8 minutes, generated 7 free throws, and got nothing but open looks.

#10 – Couldn’t convert in the last seconds​

The Celtics had two opportunities to take the game in the last 10 seconds but weren’t able to generate good shots.

The execution of the first play didn’t create any gaps in the defense, and the Sixers were set when Pritchard received the ball. As soon as he drove, Brown came into the paint, which hurt the spacing. Meanwhile, the Sixers’ defenders collapsed to help on Grimes, leaving Hauser, Simons, and White open — but Pritchard went for a contested layup.

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The second attempt gave Pritchard more space at first, but the spacing was once again poor. He didn’t have a clear path to the rim, so he faked and tried to sell a foul — but that didn’t work, and the Celtics took their first loss of the season.

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Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/articles/123210/10-takeaways-from-a-slow-and-sloppy-start-against-phily

 

[Boston Celtics]

Boston Celtics Daily Links 10/23/25

Herald Three ex-Celtics players arrested by FBI in massive gambling investigations

Celtics stumble in first crunch-time test without Jayson Tatum

Celtics crumble late, blow double-digit lead in season-opening loss to 76ers

Globe Off-white, on point: Celtics 2025-2026 season opener fit check

Celtics ready to embrace the growing pains that will come this season

Celtics show flashes, but 76ers claim season opener behind historic rookie performance: 8 takeaways

Former Celtic Terry Rozier, Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups among 30 charged in federal gambling probe

Who are Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier, and Damon Jones? Meet the three with NBA ties charged.

NBA places Terry Rozier, Chauncey Billups on leave as it investigates federal gambling charges

Celtics Green Comments from the Other Side – Knicks 10/22/25

CelticsBlog 10 takeaways from a slow and sloppy start against Phily

Celtics own up to their “crucial errors” in collapse to 76ers

Parquet Plays: Anfernee Simons showed us he can defend. Will it continue?

Neemias Queta excels as starting center

Celtics lose season opener to Sixers 117-116

ESPN The Celtics and Pacers’ approach to a season marred by injury

Maxey scores 40 points as 76ers rally to beat Celtics 117-116

CLNS Media Celtics as Competitive and Flawed as Expected on Opening Night

Boston Drops Season Opener to Philadelphia | Celtics vs 76ers Postgame Show

Joe Mazzulla Has a Plan for These Celtics: And It Looks Totally Different

Celtics .com Neemias Queta Delivers Strong Start to ’25-26 Season vs. 76ers

Keys to the Game: 76ers 117, Celtics 116

NBC Sports Boston Celtics need to bottle up Jaylen Brown’s opening night playmaking

Celtics-Sixers recap: Pritchard misses at buzzer in opening night loss

Follow the leader: How Jaylen Brown is embracing a new challenge

NESN Anfernee Simons Unveiled Something New In First Celtics Game

NBA Releases Statement On Terry Rozier, Chauncey Billups

Terry Rozier’s Lawyer Releases Statement After FBI Arrest

76ers Guard Makes NBA History In Season-Opener Vs. Celtics

Celtics Narrowly Drop Season Opener After Late Collapse Vs. 76ers

Writer Forecasts When Jayson Tatum Could Rejoin Celtics

CBS Boston Neemias Queta was a bright spot for Celtics in season-opening loss to 76ers

The Celtics have some important things to figure out after opening night collapse

Mass Live Boston Celtics big status uncertain after entering concussion protocols

NBA announces suspension for Blazers coach, Terry Rozier after arrests

Jayson Tatum injury: Celtics CEO provides update on star forward’s 2025-26 status

Celtics star gives unexpected reason for late collapse in 76ers loss

Sixers coach gives fans a guide for watching new Celtics forward

Boston Celtics big man a bright spot in starting role in 76ers loss

Jaylen Brown injury: Celtics star updates status after 76ers loss

4 takeaways as Celtics lose to 76ers after fourth quarter collapse

Celtics Wire Mazzulla on how he sees Celtics White-Simons-Pritchard 3-guard lineup

Celtics alumni Rozier, Billups arrested by FBI in gambling sting

Today in Boston Celtics history: Crawford, Pinkney born; G. Williams, Edwards, Watt debut

Boston Celtics jersey history No. 41 – James Posey (2007-08)

Jaylen Brown thought the Celtics may have been too focused on offense

Celtics fall to Sixers rookie V.J. Edgecombe makes history

76ers coach Nick Nurse on coaching Chris Boucher with Toronto Raptors

The Athletic Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier arrests escalate sprawling NBA betting scandal

Jaylen Brown after close loss to 76ers: Celtics ‘still figuring things out’

Which All-Stars can teams count on? 2025 NBA ‘Star’ Reliability Tiers

Boston Sports Journal Celtics take the “L” in the opener, and hope they learn lessons from the loss

BSJ Game Report: Sixers 117, Celtics 116 – Pritchard misses late chance to beat Philly

Final: Sixers 117, Celtics 116 – Sixers backcourt dominates, C’s fall apart late

Hardwood Houdini Celtics just got brutal dose of deja vu after disaster end to last season

Anfernee Simons’ first season-opener in Boston will also be his last

Tyrese Maxey helped Celtics gain two learning points on Opening Night

Celtics share what went wrong on final possession of opening night loss to 76ers

Neemias Queta gives Celtics silver lining in opening loss to the 76ers

Celtics danger zone was clear as day in first half vs. 76ers

The season hasn’t even started yet and Mazzulla already put NBA on notice

Knicks’ injuries piling up as Celtics ready for return to Madison Square Garden

CLNS Media/YouTube LIVE Garden Report: Celtics vs Sixers Postgame Show on CLNS

GOOD and BAD Takeaways from Celtics vs 76ers | Garden Report

Payton Pritchard on Missing Game Winning Shot | Celtics vs 76ers Postgame Interview

EXCLUSIVE: Anfernee Simons Reacts to FIRST Celtics Game Performance | Full Interview

Joe Mazzulla Postgame Interview FULL | Celtics vs 76ers 10-22-2025

Derrick White Postgame Interview FULL | Celtics vs 76ers 10-22-2025

Jaylen Brown on NOT Getting the LAST SHOT | Celtics vs 76ers Postgame Interview

SI .com Celtics’ Jaylen Brown Makes Major Announcement Ahead of Season Opener

Payton Pritchard’s wife Emma rocks unreal custom Celtics boots for NBA opener

Three Key Takeaways From Sixers’ Victory Over Celtics

Early Signs vs Celtics Should Make 76ers Think About Serious Changes

Clutch Points Celtics’ Luka Garza lands on concussion protocol after scary moment vs. 76ers

Celtics’ Derrick White sounds off on what went wrong with final play in 76ers loss

Essentially Sports Wyc Grousbeck Puts Celtics Locker Room on Notice With Trade Plan Involving 4 Stars

Audacy Retooled Celtics can’t contain Sixers: ‘We can’t let guys come in here and do what they want’

Celtics new-look squad debut spoiled by 76ers late-game comeback

The Sports Hub 5 takeaways: Celtics drop season-opener to 76ers

The Sporting News Boston Celtics’ starting lineup without Jayson Tatum will shock you

The Sixer Sense It took just one quarter for VJ Edgecombe to ignite 76ers’ fans hopes

Bleacher Report Jaylen Brown Talks Celtics’ Defensive Issues After Loss to 76ers, Edgecombe Breakout

Maxey, Edgecombe Key 76ers’ Win vs. Celtics Without Tatum as Embiid Disappoints Fans

NBA/YouTube 76ERS at CELTICS | FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS | October 22, 2025

10 Philadelphia Observations after Sixers win thrilling opener with brilliant games by Edgecombe, Maxey

Heavy Mazzulla Reveals Shocking Post-Celtics Plan, Rips Brown Criticism

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/boston-celtics-daily-links/123165/boston-celtics-daily-links-10-23-25