Philadelphia looked like a potentially dangerous No. 7 seed entering the postseason it has lived up to that billing through the first three games.
Led by All-Star Tyrese Maxey — scoring 27 points a game this series — and his backcourt running mate, rookie VJ Edgecombe, the 76ers were able to split the two games in Boston. They did that without center Joel Embiid, who has been out recovering from an appendectomy.
It took big nights from “The J’s” — Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who scored 25 points each — to earn Boston a Game 3 win on the road and retake the lead in the series. The Celtics are very difficult to beat when they are hitting their 3-pointers, and they were 20-of-47 (42.6%) in Game 3. Boston needs that to carry over to Sunday.
See below for additional information on the Celtics-76ers game and how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
How to watch Celtics vs. 76ers, Game 4:
When: Sunday, April 26
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia
Time: 4 p.m. ET
Announcing team: Mike Tirico (play by play), Reggie Miller (analyst), Zora Stephenson (courtside reporter)
TV: NBC
Live Stream: Peacock
Series: Celtics lead 2-1
What other games are on NBC and Peacock Sunday?
• Los Angeles Lakers at Houston Rockets (Game 4), 9:30 ET, NBC and Peacock
Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers game preview
In the playoffs, the little things can be the difference — grabbing a key rebound, making a key steal, knocking down the clutch 3-pointer. In this series between long-time Eastern Conference rivals, it has been Boston doing a little more of that.
In Game 3, it was Jaylen Brown with the key fourth-quarter steal on a Tyrese Maxey pass, turning it into a Derrick White layup. It was Jayson Tatum hitting a clutch 3-pointer. It was White crashing from the corner and getting a key offensive rebound between two 76ers with 35 seconds remaining.
That Game 3 win has Boston up 2-1 in the series: The Celtics are 48-5 all-time when up 2-1 in a series, while the 76ers are 2-21 when trailing 1-2 in a series.
Philadelphia is ignoring those numbers and believes it has a chance to come back in this series — they just have to do the little things better.
“When you play good teams, that’s what it is,” Tyrese Maxey said. “You’ve got to be extremely sharp in the playoffs, man. You’re seeing it.”
Philly’s belief starts with Maxey, who is averaging 27 points and 7.7 assists per game, although he has struggled with shots inside the arc, shooting just 39.2% on those. His help has been inconsistent, with Paul George averaging 18 points a game and rookie VJ Edgecombe at 17.7 (but shooting just 27.3% from beyond the arc).
Joel Embiid would be a big boost for Game 4, but his status remains in doubt as he recovers from an appendectomy. Embiid was listed as questionable before Game 3 before being ruled out.
How to watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock
NBC Sports will present up to 23 games in the First Round and 11 games in the Conference Semifinals across either NBC and Peacock, or Peacock and NBCSN. Playoff programming concludes with exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock.
Which playoff rounds will be available on Peacock?
Peacock’s NBA Playoffs coverage spans multiple rounds, including Round 1, the Conference Semifinals, and the Western Conference Finals, with coverage evolving as the postseason progresses.
Will Peacock show both Eastern and Western Conference playoff games?
Yes. During earlier rounds, such as Round 1 and the Conference Semifinals, Peacock will carry a mix of Eastern and Western Conference playoff games.
How to sign up for Peacock:
Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You’ll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.
What devices does Peacock support?
You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here.
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