Celtics Rout 76ers in Game 1 Behind Tatum's Strong Return

Boston did more than open the series with a win. It seized control of the matchup’s shape, rolling past Philadelphia 123-91 at TD Garden and turning a long-awaited first-round series into an early statement about the gap between the two teams.

Jayson Tatum returned to the playoffs with 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in his first postseason game since rupturing his right Achilles tendon last season, and Jaylen Brown added 26 points as the Celtics built a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. The 32-point margin was the sort of result that usually reflects a team controlling tempo, defensive pressure and shot quality from the opening tip, and Boston’s performance suggested all three were working in its favor.

Philadelphia, which had advanced through the play-in round with a win over Orlando, found its offense narrowed to Tyrese Maxey. Maxey led the 76ers with 21 points, but the scoring burden was too heavy against a Boston team that had more firepower and, on this night, far more margin for error. When Tatum is producing as a primary scorer and distributor and Brown is adding 26 of his own, Boston’s top-end talent gives the Celtics a distinctly higher ceiling than Philadelphia could match in Game 1.

The result also carried historical weight. This was the 23rd playoff series between Boston and Philadelphia, the most in NBA history, and the opener only deepened the sense that the rivalry’s latest chapter could hinge on whether the 76ers can generate enough resistance to slow Boston’s rhythm. The teams played the opener at 1 p.m. ET on ABC, with Game 2 set for Tuesday, April 21, at 7 p.m. ET in Boston before the series shifts to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4.

What can still change is the margin around the edges. Philadelphia can adjust its shot selection, tighten its response to Boston’s pressure and hope Maxey gets more help. What looked harder to alter in Game 1 was the underlying structure of the matchup: Boston’s depth, its ability to score through Tatum and Brown, and the confidence that comes from a dominant start in front of a home crowd.