For the first time since 2021, the Celtics opened up their season on a sour note.
Boston’s new-look crew hosted the 76ers at TD Garden to begin its 2025-26 campaign on Wednesday night, and did so without Jayson Tatum for the first time in eight years. Philadelphia, meanwhile, was also shorthanded, missing Paul George and managing Joel Embiid on a minutes restriction. But even a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter wasn’t strong enough to overcompensate for Boston’s many miscues, resulting in a 117-116 loss.
“It’s tough,” Jaylen Brown said. “Definitely a winnable game for us. We had some opportunities. Even at the end, we had some opportunities that didn’t go our way. It’s a learning experience. It’s going to be a learning experience from Day 1. We got a bunch of new guys, we’re playing a new style. I thought we played hard today. I thought we played a winnable game. Just some crucial errors that cost us. But I’m looking forward to watching film and learning and staying with the journey.”
The Celtics and 76ers went down to the wire, and although Boston had a chance to seal the nail-biter on its final possession, Jaylen Brown never got the ball — twice. Instead, Payton Pritchard handled both inbounds plays, missing a contested layup on the first attempt before misfiring on an off-balance jumper during the do-over. It was a tough pill to swallow, failing to get the ball in the hands of the offense’s centerpiece in the game-deciding possession, especially since that was the initial plan, as Pritchard later admitted.
Brown finished the night with 25 points, six rebounds and four assists, shooting 9-of-18 from the field as Tatum observed from the bench.
Still, even with Derrick White’s 25-point performance and a strong frontcourt contribution from Neemias Queta (17 points, eight rebounds), Boston’s undisciplined play caught up to it. Tyrese Maxey, en route to a 40-point outburst, and the 76ers capitalized on mistake after mistake by the Celtics. Turnovers became transition opportunities and head coach Joe Mazzulla committed to a short-leash approach with the centers, immediately substituting anyone from the floor after surrendereding an offensive rebound.
Mazzulla’s expectations and stern standards established the tone, but they weren’t enough.
“I think first half, we didn’t come out with the right intensity,” Anfernee Simons explained. “They got a lot of transition buckets. I think in the second half we played a lot better, obviously, but I think that first half we — I don’t wanna say dug ourselves a hole — but we just didn’t play with that same intensity like we should in the second half. We gave ourselves a chance in the second half at the end, and that’s all we can ask for. But definitely, that first half — if we came out like we did in the third quarter, in the first half — we would’ve given ourselves a way better chance to win the game.”
Following an encouraging third quarter in which the Celtics held the 76ers to 18 points on 7-of-21 shooting, the tide turned quickly. Philadelphia erupted for 42 points in the fourth, as Tyrese Maxey and rookie V.J. Edgecombe — who combined for 74 — led the 76ers to their first comeback win of the season. Edgecombe’s scoring outburst was the third-highest ever in an NBA debut and the most in 76ers franchise history, breaking Allen Iverson’s previous mark of 30 points set in 1996.
That final frame encapsulated everything the Celtics will need to adjust to moving forward. The talent gap alone will no longer be enough to mask their mistakes. Tatum is out, and Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, and Al Horford are no longer on the roster. In fact, Mazzulla had to roll out a starting lineup featuring just two returning starters from last season (Brown and White), underscoring how vital adaptation will be if Boston hopes to contend with the rest of the Eastern Conference.
“Obviously, they made some shots there in the fourth quarter,” White said. “But our activity in the third quarter is how we have to play for a full 48 minutes. So we have to find whatever we did in that fourth quarter 48 minutes. But obviously you see what we did wrong in the fourth there because that’s a lot of points (allowed).”
The Celtics weren’t just handed their first loss of the season; they were handed their first teachable moment. Ultimately, it will be up to everyone in the locker room to take moments alike and turn them into growth opportunities as the roster continues its acclimation process.
“It’ll be good to learn from this game and see what we did well, what we didn’t do well, and what actions we wanna get into,” White added. “The best way to learn from it is to go through it, so there will be a lot that we can learn from.”
