The Celtics Blew a 3-1 Lead and Lost Their Season to the 7 Seed Sixers

The Boston Celtics just completed one of the most catastrophic collapses in franchise history. They had a 3-1 series lead. They lost Game 7. Their season is over. A 7 seed, the Philadelphia 76ers, just knocked them out in the first round, and the Celtics are going home in disgrace.

Let that sink in: The Celtics were 32-0 all time when leading a series 3-1. Now they're 32-1. They lost three games at home in a single playoff series. They had all the momentum after Game 5. They had every chance to close it out in Game 6. Then Game 7 came, and they couldn't execute when it mattered most.

The Shooting Collapse Nobody Saw Coming

The Celtics' shooting in these final three games was the worst of their entire season. In Game 7, they finished at 40 percent from the field and 27 percent from three. That's not a championship team. That's a team that folded when the stakes were highest.

The first quarter was especially brutal. This was supposed to be their best team, their chance to run it back. Instead, they came out flat and never recovered. The role players didn't show up. Derrick White, who was supposed to have a big night, finished 9-26 from the field and 5-16 from deep. That's not what you need in a Game 7.

They Had It Right There

It was a one-point game late in the fourth quarter. The Celtics had their chances down the stretch. A wide open Jaylen three from the top of the arc. A Pritchard open corner three. A wide open Jaylen paint jumper. All high leverage moments. All missed. Meanwhile, Maxey came through at the rim on the other end.

This series tells the whole story. They could have closed it out in Game 5. They blew it. They could have closed it out in Game 6. They blew it again. Game 7 was their last chance, and they couldn't find a way to execute. Instead, they watched Joel Embiid and the Sixers celebrate on their home floor.

The Celtics fucked around and found out. Now their season is done, and an entire offseason of uncertainty starts right now.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.