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I play in a basketball league and our championship game is tonight. Like most men’s basketball leagues or recreational leagues, the playoffs are not a series. They are one-game, life-or-death situations. The NBA doesn’t have that (no major sport other than football), but it gives us a chance to see who is really the better team, not just a potentially luckier team. We may get an answer tonight if the Celtics or the 76ers are the better team in Game 6 of this series.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid faces off against Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu in the third quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Nov. 30, 2025. (Kyle Ross/Image Images)
The Celtics had a great performance this season, despite many doubts surrounding the team. Two years after winning the NBA Championship, the team lost Jayson Tatum to injury. They traded Jrue Holiday, a guy who provided veteran leadership, solid outside shooting and excellent defense. Kristaps Porzingis wasn’t part of the championship team, but he was a big reason they were expected to repeat. Without him, the Celtics were down 60% of their starting lineup entering this year.
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They finished with second place and a 56-26 record behind Jaylen Brown and a bench shakeup. In the first four games of the series, Boston looked great. They lost a game because VJ Edgecombe took control and looked dominant for Philadelphia. Outside of that game, Boston was great…until Tuesday, when they were dominated on both sides of the ball. In their two losses, they only scored 97 points. To make matters worse, they allowed 111 or more.
Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics celebrates after scoring against the Dallas Mavericks during the second quarter at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts on March 6, 2026. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
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The Philadelphia 76ers have to be one of the most frustrating teams in the entire league. If you’re a fan, you just have to pray that the team finds a way to be healthy. Joel Embiid might be the sport’s most unreliable superstar. The worst part is that you won’t find anyone to replace Embiid’s production if he’s healthy. So the 76ers are basically hamstrung by his health. They have surrounded him with talent, but they have not found a combination that will even take them to the NBA Finals.
Tonight they still have a chip and a chair as they need to win the next two games. In two of their losses, they were completely dominated. The Celtics won two of the games by more than 30 points. In both of the 76ers’ victories, they won by more than 14 points. So, there has only been one close game between the two squads. In game three, the 76ers lost 108-100, but it was the only game of the series that was not decided by double digits.
Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George talks with guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe during a break in the third quarter against the Orlando Magic in the play-in round of the 2026 NBA playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on April 15, 2026. (Bill Streicher/Image Images)
In tonight’s matchup, the 76ers have already promised to put on a better performance than the last time they played in front of the Philadelphia faithful. In Game 4, the last time they were in Philadelphia, they lost the game by 32 points. They didn’t win a single quarter. Tatum, Brown and Payton Pritchard combined to score 82 points, just 14 fewer than the 76ers as a team. Embiid should return for this one, and that makes a big difference for the 76ers. It makes this a much more even series. He was great in Game 5 and I expect him to be solid tonight.
It takes a while to get back into shape, but Embiid should be there now that this will be his third game. This is the biggest mismatch the 76ers have and I hope they take advantage of it. I like the idea of taking the 76ers to +5.5, but they always prove to disappoint people. I’ll take Embiid over 27.5 points. He had 26 on his return and 33 the other night. I’m also hoping for 30 tonight.
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