The NBA play-offs are complete now, after the Philadelphia 76ers stunned 2024 champions Boston Celtics in the seventh and final game in Boston (100-109). The Philadelphia-Boston rivalry is legendary in the NBA, as the most repeated NBA play-offs in history: 23 series, usually dominated by Boston, having won 15 of those 23 meetings.
However, the trend was broken on Sunday, with Philadelphia winning the series in the ninth time the Boston-Philadelphia play-offs have reached the definitive seventh game, and they won coming from 3-1 behind in the play-off series. The Boston Celtics had been the second best team in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 56-26, while Philadelphia was seventh, 45-37, that's why this outcome is even more surprising.
Four other teams reached game 7 in the play-offs: the Detroit Pistons, best team in the East, also defeated Orlando Magic coming from a 3-1 down in the series, winning the final game 116-94; while Cleveland Cavaliers defeated Toronto Raptors 114-102.
NBA Conference semifinals:
After play-offs, the Conference semifinals start this week, also with a series of best-of seven matches:
West
Minnesota Timberwolves (6) vs. San Antonio Spurs
Los Angeles Lakers (4) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (1)
East
Philadelphia 76ers (7) vs. New York Knicks (3)
Cleveland Cavaliers (4) vs. Detroit Pistons (1)