Celtics–76ers rivalry

76ers–Celtics rivalry

Philadelphia 76ers Boston Celtics
First meeting	November 30, 1949
Latest meeting	March 19, 2017 (Wells Fargo Center)
Next meeting	TBD
Statistics
Meetings total	538 meetings
All-time series	309–230 (Celtics)
Regular season series	255–184 (Celtics)
Postseason results	54–46 (Celtics)
Longest win streak	Celtics: W20 76ers: W8
Current win streak	76ers, 1
Post-season history
1953 Eastern Conference Division Semifinals: Celtics won, 2–0 1954 Eastern Conference Division Finals: Nationals won, 2–0 1955 Eastern Conference Division Finals: Nationals won, 3–1 1956 Eastern Conference Division Semifinals: Nationals won, 2–1 1957 Eastern Conference Division Finals: Celtics won, 3–0 1959 Eastern Conference Division Finals: Celtics won, 4–3 1961 Eastern Conference Division Finals: Celtics won, 4–1 1965 Eastern Conference Division Finals: Celtics won, 4–3 1966 Eastern Conference Division Finals: Celtics won, 4–1 1967 Eastern Conference Division Finals: 76ers won, 4–1 1968 Eastern Conference Division Finals: Celtics won, 4–3 1969 Eastern Conference Division Semifinals: Celtics won, 4–1 1977 Eastern Conference Semifinals: 76ers won, 4–3 1980 Eastern Conference Finals: 76ers won, 4–1 1981 Eastern Conference Finals: Celtics won, 4–3 1982 Eastern Conference Finals: 76ers won, 4–3 1985 Eastern Conference Finals: Celtics won, 4–1 2002 Eastern Conference First Round: Celtics won, 3–2 2012 Eastern Conference Semifinals: Celtics won, 4–3

The 76ers–Celtics rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics. The two teams have the most meetings in the NBA playoffs, playing each other in 19 series, with the Celtics winning 12 of them. The 76ers are considered to be the Celtics' second greatest rival, after the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Syracuse Nationals and Boston Celtics played in the Eastern Division in the 1950s. The Nationals beat the Celtics in three straight playoff series in 1954, 1955, and 1956, winning the NBA Championship in 1955. After the 1956 season the Celtics traded for Bill Russell and drafted K.C. Jones, both of whom starred and won Championships at the University of San Francisco. Also adding Tom Heinsohn with a territorial pick, the Celtics would win their next three playoff series against the Nationals in the playoffs (1957, 1959, and 1961) before the Nationals were sold and moved to Philadelphia.

In 1963, the Syracuse Nationals moved to Philadelphia and became the 76ers, renewing the basketball rivalry between Philadelphia and Boston (from when the Warriors had been in Philadelphia). Shortly after the All-Star break in 1965, the Sixers acquired Wilt Chamberlain from the Warriors, bringing the Chamberlain/Russell matchup back into the rivalry as well.

The Celtics and Sixers met in the Eastern Conference Finals that season with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line. The series went the distance, with Game 7 being held at the Boston Garden. With 5 seconds left and Boston leading 110-109, Russell tried to inbound the ball when it hit a guy wire that supported the backboard, which resulted in a turnover. However, the Sixers failed to capitalize when Celtics forward John Havlicek deflected the inbound pass to Sam Jones, who ran out the clock. The Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals and defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in five games for their seventh straight title.