Less than a year ago, he could only watch. He sat in a wheelchair and saw the Celtics bow out to the Knicks in the second round of the 2025 playoffs, his torn Achilles taking away what might have been a defining run. “I remember when I got injured, there was a lot of uncertainty,” he said before Game 1. “The playoffs weren’t a sure thing, and now that I get that opportunity, I couldn’t be more happy.”

On Sunday at TD Garden, Jayson Tatum made sure that opportunity didn’t go to waste. The Boston Celtics rolled past the Philadelphia 76ers 123-91 to take a 1-0 series lead, and Tatum was at the center of it all. He finished with 25 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, where he set the tone early. By halftime, he already had 21 points, eight boards, and five assists, with Boston firmly in control.

Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers Player Stats and Box Score

Boston Celtics

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Philadelphia 76ers

Tatum Makes History, Passes Kobe

The first half carried extra weight. With one of his early threes, Tatum moved past the late Kobe Bryant into 11th on the all-time playoff three-pointers list, reaching 293 for his career. Furthermore, it was the kind of milestone that felt right on a night like this, as it involved a big stage, a big moment, and complete control. He dictated the pace from the opening quarter, as there was a strong drive for a rare dunk, a quick read that led to a full-court assist to Jordan Walsh, and a steady diet of mid-range buckets over Tyrese Maxey. Add in six free throws, and Boston had an early cushion that never really felt threatened.

Jaylen Brown Catches Fire

If Tatum built the lead, Jaylen Brown made sure it stayed buried. The visiting team showed brief signs of life in the third quarter, but Brown erased any hope. There was a steal in transition, a pull-up three, and then another deep shot moments later that stretched the lead back out. One coast-to-coast sequence, where he blew past multiple defenders, brought the crowd to its feet and effectively ended the contest.

Brown finished with 26 points, leading all scorers, along with four rebounds and three assists.

Key Performers and Underperformers

On the Celtics’ side, six different players scored at least 10 points in a complete team effort. Tatum and Brown were the headliners, but Vucevic’s back-to-back three-pointers in the third quarter buried Philadelphia’s comeback attempt. Sam Hauser chipped in efficiently off the bench (12 points), as he drained his first three-point attempt of the game.

Philadelphia shot just 33.3 percent from the field in the first half, with only Tyrese Maxey in double figures at the break. Oubre Jr. had a first-half slam to show for his efforts, but finished 0-for-5 from three, as he missed a wide-open look early in the third quarter that could have trimmed the lead to 12. Paul George and the supporting cast offered little resistance, as Philadelphia committed eight first-half turnovers and made just three three-pointers all game to Boston’s 11. Without Joel Embiid, who is out following an appendectomy, the 76ers had no answers for what the Celtics brought, and it showed in every quarter.

Game 2 is Tuesday, and Philadelphia will need a dramatically different performance to make this a series. For Boston, the formula already looks clear. Tatum is back, Brown is rolling, and the Celtics are once again in control.