76ers vs Celtics Live: Stream, Score, Highlights & TV Channel for NBA Playoffs Tonight

Boston flexed its depth in a 123-91 rout of Philadelphia to open their Eastern Conference first-round series Sunday night, and Game 2 tips off tonight (7 p.m. ET, Peacock/NBCSN) back at TD Garden. Jayson Tatum looked fully recovered from last year’s Achilles injury, posting 25 points, 11 boards and seven assists, while Jaylen Brown poured in 26 on 52 percent shooting. Boston drilled 16 threes, owned the glass 43-40 and led wire-to-wire, at one point by 35. Philadelphia, still without Joel Embiid after his April 9 appendectomy, struggled for answers inside and shot just 4-for-23 from deep. Tyrese Maxey’s 21-point, eight-assist line and Paul George’s efficient 17 on eight shots weren’t nearly enough. Why Game 2 matters • Home teams that go up 2-0 in a best-of-seven win the series 94 percent of the time. • A Boston win would push the NBA’s most storied rivalry to 68-50 all-time in postseason meetings. • A Philly bounce-back would steal momentum before the series shifts to Wells Fargo Center on Friday. Matchups to watch 1. Derrick White vs Tyrese Maxey – White, Tatum and rookie Jordan Walsh held Maxey to 8-for-20 shooting in Game 1; the All-Star averaged 30 a night against Boston in the regular season. 2. Jayson Tatum vs Paul George – Both missed all four regular-season meetings; Tatum won Round 1 decisively, but George’s two-way versatility is Philly’s best hope minus Embiid. 3. Jaylen Brown vs VJ Edgecombe – The likely Rookie of the Year runner-up shot 0-for-5 from three Sunday; Brown’s physicality again looms large on the perimeter. Injury report • 76ers: Embiid (appendix) OUT. • Celtics: Ron Harper Jr. (ankle) PROBABLE. Keys for Philadelphia • Rebound as a unit – Boston was +5 on the defensive glass despite starting 6-11 Neemias Queta; second-chance looks are Philly’s easiest path to points. • Re-ignite the arc – The league’s No. 4 three-point rate during the season must resemble its 36 percent norm, not Sunday’s 17 percent. • Maxey tempo – Nick Nurse’s offense hums when Maxey attacks early; he took only five first-quarter shots in Game 1. Keys for Boston • Maintain defensive pressure – The Celtics’ 93.8 defensive rating ranks second this postseason. • Bench impact – Boston’s reserves outscored Philly’s 37-27; Payton Pritchard’s pace and Sam Hauser’s spacing were pivotal. • Avoid complacency – The Celtics were just 11-13 when out-rebounded this year; energy on the glass remains the barometer. How to watch & live-stream Tip-off: 7 p.m. ET, Tuesday, April 21 TV: Peacock, NBC Sports Boston, NBCSN Philly Streaming: Peacock Premium, NBC Sports app Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub (BOS), 97.5 The Fanatic (PHI), SiriusXM NBA Radio SEO quick hits • Search: “76ers vs Celtics live stream,” “76ers vs Celtics Game 2 channel,” “76ers vs Celtics score update.” • Social hashtags: #NBAPlayoffs #Celtics #Sixers Bottom line Boston can tighten its grip on the series by replicating the ball movement (28 assists) and balanced scoring that shredded Philly’s defense in Game 1. The Embiid-less 76ers must hit threes, win the hustle stats and unleash Maxey’s speed to avoid a trip home in an 0-2 hole.