Sixers to play Boston Celtics in Eastern Conference Semifinals
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- As expected, the Sixers will take on the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
The Celtics closed out their series vs. the Atlanta Hawks in six games in a 128-120 win Thursday night.
Game 1 of the Sixers and Celtics will take place on Monday at TD Garden in Boston.
The status of Joel Embiid remains unclear for Game 1. He suffered a knee sprain in Game 3 of the first round vs. the Brooklyn Nets last week.
The Sixers were able to sweep the Nets without Embiid in Game 4 in a 96-88 victory.
The Sixers were 1-3 vs. the Celtics in the regular season. The lone Sixers' win was when Embiid erupted for 52 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and two blocks in a 103-101 victory in April, a night where he likely locked up the MVP award.
Embiid's status for the series will be key for the Sixers advancing past the second round for the first time since 2001, the last time they went to the NBA Finals.
The Sixers and Celtics last played each other during the 2020 playoffs in the bubble during the COVID-19 pandemic. Boston swept the series, 4-0.
The Embiid-led Sixers also met the Celtics in 2018 -- the first year he made the playoffs -- but the Sixers lost the second round series in five games.
The Sixers haven't beat the Celtics in a playoff series since 1985.