Boston Celtics: The 5 Game 7s that shaped the Celtics-76ers Rivalry

1982: History does not repeat itself

Just like 1981, the 1982 Eastern Conference Finals featured the Philadephia 76ers and the Boston Celtics, with the winner likely going to play Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers.

The two rosters were nearly identical from the year prior, and once again, the teams seemed destined for a great series. The Boston Celtics played in the Garden Game 1, where they had one of the most impressive victories ever at the time, blowing the Sixers out 121-81.

At one point, the Celtics lead was 48 points, and coach Bill Fitch made sure to hold on to that lead even if it meant his starters had to play a few extra minutes. Rick Robey, an unknown platoon player, scored 19 points in 19 minutes for the Celtics on their way to victory. The momentum arose quickly, and it seemed to be the Celtics series.

The 76ers made a number of adjustments for Game 2 following the 40-point loss, which allowed the Sixers to match the Celtics physicality inside, and Philly won the game 121-113. Game 3, just like the last, was another victory for the 76ers giving them a 2-1 series lead. Additionally, Archibald got hurt, leaving the Celtics without their point guard.

In a must-win Game 3, the Boston Strangler, Andrew Toney, blew past every defense the Celtics put up against the point guard on his way to 39 points to take a 3-1 lead.

For the third year in a row, the 76ers were up 3-1, but still reminded of last year, they knew it was not over. Game 5 was at the Garden, and with a dominant performance by Robert Parish, Boston won by 29 points.

Then it was Game 6, where the 76ers held a 15 point lead, that shrank down to six. And after a 27 point second half, the Celtics were able to tie the series up again, and it was back to Boston for a Game 7.

Nostalgia hit every Philly fan and player. In the same stadium, against the same team, in another Game 7 after coming back from a 3-1 deficit, the Celtics looked to repeat history. Celtics fans repped ghost costumes to remind the Sixers of the ‘ghosts of the past’ as they prepared to beat their rivals once again.

Thanks to Toney, the Philadephia 76ers stayed ahead of the Boston Celtics through the first couple of quarters, but the game was close. Then in the second half, Julius Erving, who was quiet throughout most of the series, finally got hot. Erving scored 20 points in the second half en route to a 14 point victory. The Celtics showed their respect for the Sixers chanting “Beat LA” throughout the final quarter as the 76ers closed the game away.

Although not as exciting an ending as a year before, 1982 signified the mutual respect the two teams had for each other, but on the court, there was always bad blood. In a preseason game the next year, five fights broke out including a couple of attempted punches by Red Auerbach. The two teams faced each other in the playoffs in 1985, but not again until 2002, and it was not until 2012 when they finally had another seven-game series.