November 10 was a big day on NBA calendars, not just for the first regular-season rematch since the Philadelphia 76ers eliminated the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2026 Eastern Conference Playoffs. The highly anticipated first showdown between former co-stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown was the biggest storyline heading into tonight. Then Paul George had to remind everyone there are two sides to a blockbuster trade.
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The renewed rivalry between the two franchises ended in a convincing statement victory for the visiting Boston Celtics. Boston broke a tied game in the third quarter with a devastating run and turned a marquee battle into a fourth-quarter blowout to hand the 76ers a 123–101 defeat at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The Celtics now claim sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference with their ninth win of the 2026-27 season. For the 76ers, it’s the second seed, and looking forward to a revenge game in 2027.
Jayson Tatum’s throwback poster dunk over LeBron James
Rivalries and beefs aside, the most unexpectedly spectacular moment in this game came midway through the third quarter. Jayson Tatum delivered the night’s defining highlight that stunned the Philadelphia crowd and had the Internet virtually jumping out of its seat.
Splitting a double-team at the perimeter, Tatum drove hard down the lane and leaped for the rim, meeting 41-year-old LeBron James mid-air. Tatum literally rose to the occasion and threw down an emphatic one-handed poster slam directly over James, pounding his chest in celebration upon landing.
The scene immediately drew comparisons to Tatum’s famous poster dunk over James in Game 7 of the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals, his rookie season. Even Noah Eagle said on air, “Throwing it back to his rookie year.”
Tatum finished the night with 21 points, while adding four assists and six rebounds, providing the spark for Boston’s revenge for the playoff elimination.
Paul George’s 36-point explosion overshadows the Celtics-76ers rivalry
While the pregame buzz centered on the personal rift between Tatum and Brown, it was former Sixer Paul George who completely took over the contest.
Returning to Philadelphia for the first regular-season game since being traded in the summer blockbuster for Jaylen Brown, George erupted for a game-high 36 points on 14-of-22 shooting from the field, including a blistering 6-of-11 mark from the arc.
George completely dismantled the Sixers in the closing quarter. With some difficult shots and free throws, he extended the lead by 21 points. His late eight-point stretch put the game out of reach for the Sixers.
He also had to show he didn’t forget the ‘good riddance’ chatter behind his trade. In the final quarter, George capped off a three-pointer by playfully flipping the hostile home crowd.
Payton Pritchard added 18 points, including four triples, off the bench for Boston, providing key scoring to support George’s offensive masterclass.
Jaylen Brown gives cold shoulder to Jayson Tatum before cold shooting night
The pregame tension between the former championship partners was palpable long before the opening tip. When Tatum attempted to dap up Brown on the court prior to tip-off, Brown physically stonewalled him, opting instead to spin the basketball on his finger while ignoring the gesture.
Unphased by his former running mate’s cold shoulder, Tatum swiftly moved on to LeBron James, doing their signature handshake from their time as teammates for Team USA in the 2024 Olympics.
This was the prelude to Tatum posterizing James and getting the last laugh. The cold dynamic carried over into a nightmare performance on the floor for Brown. Plagued by early foul trouble, picking up two quick fouls in the first quarter and his fourth early in the third, Brown was never able to establish a rhythm. He finished with just 13 points on 4-of-9 shooting.
Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 24 points, while Joel Embiid added 16 points after briefly suffering an ankle scare at the end of the first half.
But of course, the blatant snub to Tatum was the dominant subject when reporters caught up with Brown after the game.
“I’m just focused on coming out and doing what’s best for my team,” Brown said. Everything else was, to be honest, I wasn’t paying attention. But credit to Jayson [Tatum], he played well tonight,” he explained.
He also expressed frustration over his shooting woes tonight. “I’m a bit frustrated, honestly. I want to perform better for my team. I felt trouble kind of derailed me a little bit, but it happens. It’s unfortunate, but now we gotta just move on to the next.”
The next matchup in this reinvigorated rivalry won’t be till January 21, 2027, when the 76ers visit the Celtics at TD Garden. Unless the NBA Cup Knockout Rounds set the stage for a grudge match.