The celtics vs 76ers series shifts to Philadelphia on Friday night for Game 3, with tipoff scheduled for 7 p. m. ET at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The teams enter tied 1-1, and Boston is trying to take back control after the 76ers answered Game 1 with a double-digit win in Game 2. The celtics vs 76ers matchup will be streamed exclusively on Prime Video.
Boston looks to reset after a rough shooting night
The Celtics head into the celtics vs 76ers meeting needing a cleaner offensive night after shooting 26% from three-point range on 50 attempts in Game 2. Jaylen Brown led Boston with 36 points, while Jayson Tatum added a double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds. Derrick White and Payton Pritchard combined for 12 points, a number Boston will want to improve if it is going to leave Philadelphia with the series lead.
Defensively, Boston’s attention is on Philadelphia’s perimeter production. In Game 2, the Celtics allowed 19 made three-pointers, including six from rookie VJ Edgecombe and key shots from Tyrese Maxey. With the series now at a critical point, the celtics vs 76ers game gives Boston a direct chance to respond on the road.
Availability matters as Joel Embiid remains out
Philadelphia will again be without Joel Embiid, who is out for the third straight playoff game while recovering from appendicitis surgery. John Clark, a reporter for NBC Sports Philadelphia, said a source confirmed Embiid was out after the center met with doctors and briefly considered trying to warm up. That leaves the 76ers with the same front-line absence as the series moves into its next phase.
The team’s message from the sidelines has stayed focused on effort and identity. The Celtics also shared a pregame message centered on playing their own brand of ball, underscoring how seriously both sides are treating this celtics vs 76ers swing game.
What to watch as Game 3 unfolds
The most important questions remain straightforward: whether Boston can get more scoring from its backcourt, whether its three-point shooting improves, and whether Philadelphia can keep hitting timely shots at home. The first two games showed how quickly the series can tilt when one side controls the pace and the other loses rhythm.
Friday night’s celtics vs 76ers game is a chance for Boston to reclaim home-court advantage in the series and for Philadelphia to defend it. The next update will come from the floor, where the pressure now rises with every possession.
