76ers Vs Celtics: Embiid Out After MRI; Celtics Riding Historic Shooting Into Primetime
The 76ers Vs Celtics primetime clash on Sunday now carries added weight after an MRI on Saturday revealed a right oblique strain for Philadelphia center Joel Embiid, who will be unavailable. The absence shifts the matchup dynamics at 8 p. m. at TD Garden and could amplify Boston's momentum after an extraordinary shooting night.
76ers Vs Celtics at TD Garden and broadcast details
Tip-off is set for 8 p. m. ET at TD Garden and the game will be televised on NBC and streamed on Peacock. With Embiid sidelined, Philadelphia will enter the contest without its starting center following the MRI finding from Saturday tied to the team's win over the Heat.
Joel Embiid's MRI and roster impact
An MRI performed on Saturday revealed that Joel Embiid sustained a right oblique strain during Philadelphia’s victory over the Heat, and the team confirmed he will be unavailable for the Sunday matchup. The injury occurred in the course of that game, and the immediate effect is that Philadelphia will have to adjust its game plan and rotations in Embiid's absence.
Boston's historic shooting night and recent form
Boston came into the weekend in clear rhythm, posting one of its hottest shooting efforts on Friday by connecting on 66. 7 percent of field-goal attempts and 64. 7 percent of 3-pointers in a blowout of the Nets. That performance helped the Celtics secure a victory over Brooklyn and extend a run that has them winning 10 of their last 12 games.
Player availability: Baylor Scheierman questionable for Boston
On the injury front for Boston, Baylor Scheierman is listed as questionable with a thumb issue. The designation leaves some uncertainty about the Celtics' rotation for Sunday night and whether Scheierman will be available to contribute off the bench.
Team statistical snapshot and recent trends
The two clubs arrive with distinct season profiles. Philadelphia holds a 33-26 record with a vs. spread mark of 32-26 and one push; its over/under numbers stand at 31-27 with one push. Over the last 10 games, the 76ers are 5-5, 5-5 against the spread and 6-4 on overs and unders. Boston’s season mark is 39-20, with a vs. spread record of 34-25 and over/under figures of 22-37. The Celtics have been 8-2 in their last 10, 7-3 against the spread and 3-7 on overs and unders.
Offensively, Philadelphia averages 116. 7 points per game compared with Boston’s 115. 0. On defense, Philadelphia allows 115. 9 points per contest while Boston allows 107. 5. Boston posts a slightly higher field-goal percentage at. 468 to Philadelphia’s. 461, and Boston’s opponents shoot. 442 from the field versus Philadelphia’s opponents at. 470. From beyond the arc, Philadelphia shoots. 357 while Boston is at. 365; opponents’ 3-point rates are. 356 for teams facing Philadelphia and. 360 for those facing Boston.
Maxey milestone and Philadelphia momentum
In Philadelphia’s most recent game, Tyrese Maxey passed Allen Iverson to set the franchise record for made 3-pointers with 887. That individual milestone came during a stretch in which the 76ers have won three straight games, a mini-revival that followed a four-game losing streak that crossed the All-Star break. The 76ers’ recent winning run is the direct effect of that turnaround, though the loss of Embiid complicates whether that momentum can be sustained against a red-hot Boston squad.
What makes this notable is the timing: Boston’s historic shooting display and 10-of-12 stretch collide with Philadelphia’s sudden personnel loss, creating an altered matchup environment in a nationally televised game. An earlier item carried the notice "429 Too Many Requests. "
Coaching staffs and rotations will be scrutinized closely in the hours before the 8 p. m. tip as both teams weigh adjustments, but the confirmed facts are straightforward — Embiid is out after an MRI-detected right oblique strain, Baylor Scheierman is questionable for Boston, and the Celtics bring red-hot shooting into TD Garden against a 76ers team that has just regained some traction.
