Celtics overwhelm shorthanded 76ers 144-106 in first preseason meeting

The Boston Celtics opened another preseason step with a statement performance, routing the Philadelphia 76ers 144-106 in their first preseason matchup. The margin reflected what teams often test in August-September style games: second-unit rotation, shot volume, and the ability to sustain offensive rhythm once starters come out.

According to the game report, Payton Pritchard led Boston with 25 points, while Jayson Tatum posted 23. Boston’s scoring distribution and bench production helped turn the contest into a steady climb away from the Sixers, who never seemed able to slow the run once Boston’s offense found its tempo.

Philadelphia entered the game missing Jaylen Brown, a key two-way wing and one of the league’s more impactful creators. With Brown out, the 76ers had to lean more heavily on other ball handlers and shot makers, a common preseason adjustment that can be difficult when the opponent is already distributing looks across multiple groups.

For Boston, the result reinforced the franchise’s preseason identity under its current roster construction: prioritize depth, pressure in transition, and shot creation that does not rely on a single touch. A 144-point output is typically a product of pace and spacing, but it also suggests the Celtics kept the ball moving and generated consistent opportunities beyond just one scorer’s baseline production.

Preseason numbers should be treated carefully. Box-score totals can be distorted by different rotation lengths, varying defensive intensity, and how long each team chooses to keep players on the floor. Still, blowouts can reveal more than effort, particularly when one team’s bench is able to keep scoring without large offensive drop-offs.

What to watch next is whether Boston’s performance translates into more stable execution when the preseason tightens later in the schedule, and how quickly Philadelphia can reassemble its most reliable offensive combinations once it returns to fuller personnel. For both sides, the most meaningful takeaway will be how the scoring came together, not just the final margin.

If Boston’s depth continues to produce at a level that stretches matchups, the Celtics will carry that confidence into the later preseason weeks. If Philadelphia can close gaps left by Brown’s absence and tighten its defensive rotations, it should be better prepared when preseason outcomes begin to matter more for player evaluation and role clarity.