Monster effort from Neemias Queta helps Celtics beat 76ers 114-98

neemias queta finished with 27 points and 17 rebounds as the Boston Celtics defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 114-98 on Sunday night at TD Garden, a performance that underscored his role as the team’s starting center.

Neemias Queta's career night: 27 points, 17 rebounds

The 26-year-old center shot 10-for-14 from the floor and 7-for-10 from the foul line, drew repeated 'MVP' chants in the fourth quarter, and produced a late sequence that helped seal the win. With the game slipping away, Queta hit a key bucket that pushed Boston’s lead to eight with 3: 06 remaining, kicking off a six-point run that put the contest out of reach.

Falcons of the glass: Boston dominated the rebound battle

Boston overwhelmed Philadelphia on the boards, winning the rebounding margin 59-37. Of those 59 rebounds, 19 came on the offensive glass, and the Celtics converted those second chances into 30 second-chance points compared with just 10 for the 76ers. The team had entered the night averaging 17. 1 second-chance points per game and poured in 30 on Sunday with Queta leading the charge.

How the Celtics built and finished the rally

Boston erased an early 10-point deficit behind Queta. He registered five offensive rebounds in the opening period and then took over in a creative second quarter: he danced through the lane, converted a putback, and later trailed a fast break to take a pass from Jaylen Brown and convert an acrobatic scoop that gave Boston a 40-35 lead. Brown finished with 27 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists and said the team trusted Queta with the ball throughout the night.

Sixers' rotation and missed chances with Joel Embiid out

Philadelphia played without star center Joel Embiid (oblique) and struggled to match Boston’s physicality. Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 33 points and six assists but shot just 12-for-34 overall and 4-for-11 from deep while logging 43 minutes. Andre Drummond added 10 points and 12 rebounds, Dominick Barlow had 14 points and eight rebounds, VJ Edgecombe scored 23 points with five rebounds, and Adem Bona contributed five points and four rebounds.

Key late-game sequence and missed shots

With Philadelphia trailing 103-97 and less than 4: 00 to play, Maxey missed an open 3 and a floater in the paint. Edgecombe then missed, and Queta’s follow-up bucket pushed the lead back to eight at the 3: 06 mark. That stretch helped Boston extend the margin and finish the game ahead by 16.