The Sixers were +900 to beat the Celtics before Game 1. Still in disbelief? They actually did it. Boston had the form and history on its side as it knocked Joel Embiid out of the playoffs in 2018, 2020, and 2023. However, this time, Philly changed the script, and their fans, who were taunted in the first half of this round, didn’t hesitate to celebrate in their opposition’s face. They did so when Brian Scalabrine was doing his job as an analyst, triggering a deeply personal and peculiar reaction.

Tom Giles, the host of NBC Sports Boston, narrated that the Celtics had only one lead in this game, which was in the middle of the second quarter, 37-36. Soon, the screen transitioned to the final score, while in the background, we could hear 76ers fans shouting, “We want Boston.” This has been the theme of the series, and more on that later. The Sixers fan shouted not once but four times, and there was only so much that the 2008 Celtics champion, White Mamba, could take.

Scalabrine hollered back with the same rhyme, “You’re ugly.” This further inflamed the traveling fans, who kept chanting, “We want Boston.” Now it’s not new for Philly fans to scream this war cry. They have been doing it since the 1980s. Fast forward to this year, and this chant came up after the 76ers won their Play-In seed. And after the 123-91 Game 1 win at TD Garden, Celtics fans let out a “We Want Boston” chant back, mocking the audacity of the 76ers for even thinking that they could beat the team from Beantown.

Days later, after the Game 6 win, Xfinity Center was filled with “We Want Boston” chants. And with less than a minute left, the fans piled on more misery with “Boston sucks!” Well, this was Game 6; now imagine the scenes after a Game 7 win…

Joel Embiid became the first player in NBA history to score 100 points in a playoff series despite missing the first three games. He and Maxey also became the third duo in league history to each have 25 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in a Game 7. They are also the first No. 7 seed in the East to defeat a No. 2 seed since the first round expanded to best-of-seven in 2003.

So, their celebration was warranted, and Scalabrine was in for a surprise. The former NBA champion was not happy with the C’s performance tonight. “One of the major flaws of this Celtics era, this group is the arrogance they think it’s going to be easy to win.” Even Eddie House, a former Celt, had a similar assessment, unhappy after losing Game 7. “Disgusted. I’m disgusted by the fact that we had a stranglehold on this series, and we weren’t able to close it out.”

The Sixers fans would also have been charged, as they saw TD Garden turn on Embiid, with home fans constantly making NSFW chants directed at the 76ers center, who delivered a masterclass.

Joel Embiid was bang in the center of the Celtics’ disrespect

Uplifted by Joel Embiid’s early return from an appendectomy, the 76ers rebounded from two blowout losses to win Games 5 and 6. He did his best to set up Game 7, and Boston knew they had to throw the Cameroonian off his game. One incident occurred in the first frame when the Sixers big man chased a loose ball toward the Celtics’ bench. His job was simply to get the ball back, but he faced resistance. A rival assistant coach appeared to withhold the ball and prevent Embiid from a quick reset.

Tension escalated as Embiid wanted the ball back; that’s why All-Star teammate Tyrese Maxey quickly rushed to the sidelines to help defuse the conflict. Even the refs had to intervene and issued a ‘delay of game warning’ to the Celtics. But there was no stopping Embiid, who scored 10 in the first quarter, while the entire Celtics team had just 19. Now, the TD Garden took it upon itself to stop The Process.

One more notable moment came in the second quarter, when the Sixers had a slender 43-40 lead. Embiid was on the charity stripe, and Boston fans erupted with a “F*** Embiid” chant, but he converted his shot, ending the night with a monster double-double with 34 points and 12 rebounds. It was enough to sink the Celtics as they crashed out in the first round.