2018 NBA Playoffs: Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers preview

After impressive victories in their first round matchups, the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers look to add another chapter to this historic rivalry.

The Boston Celtics have had one roller coaster of a season.

After losing star free agent signing Gordon Hayward in the first game of the season, young studs Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum stepped up in the All-Star’s absence. Then, just as their playoff push began, All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving was shut down due to left knee soreness that would eventually require surgery.

Led by coaching wizard Brad Stevens, the Celtics are one of the best two-way teams in the league. With versatile defenders in Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford, the C’s are able to play a hard-nosed brand of defense that’s suited to stop anybody.

On the offensive end, Stevens has implemented a brilliant offensive system that creates lemonade out of lemons no matter who’s on the court. With 55 wins and the second seed in the Eastern Conference, the C’s were matched up with a tough Milwaukee Bucks squad, needing seven games to eliminate them.

On the other end, the Philadelphia 76ers have fans trusting the process a lot sooner than expected. Led by Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, the 76ers have one of the most exciting duos in the NBA playing far ahead of their projected greatness.

After bringing in snipers Ersan Ilyasova and Marco Belinelli to pair with J.J. Redick, Philly has the shooters to complement their two ball-dominant stars.

In their first round matchup with the Miami Heat, the 76ers showed poise beyond their years, forced to match the physicality of Miami and doing so with relative ease. It would take only five games of Philly to advance to the next round.

These two teams have a storied history, with 19 previous playoff matchups. With the East as wide open as it’s ever been, both teams will fight tooth and nail for a spot in the conference finals.