While Boston Celtics 38-point victory might not be usual for a preseason game, it's the margin that's the game that's intriguing Saturday at Xfinity Mobile Arena. That was the Celtics' rotation with the short-handed lineup that controlled Philadelphia in the opening minutes on Oct. 10 and neither team has played a game since to see if it was an outlier.
It's not a daring move to go back to Boston. The more relevant question is how well does home court and six days of rest compensate for a 38 point deficit – and the truthful answer is - probably not much.
Boston is 2-0 for the first game, downing Philadelphia 144-106, and getting 51 on real starter minutes from Jayson Tatum, Paul George and Derrick White. The 76ers' 19 points from VJ Edgecombe weren't sufficient to avoid a 38-point deficit for the final. Home court can level the playing field but only to a degree.
| Category | Boston Celtics | Philadelphia 76ers |
| Recent Form | 2-0 preseason; won the first meeting 144-106 at TD Garden on Oct. 10 and hasn't played since (next game Oct. 15 vs. Charlotte, before this rematch) | 1-2 preseason; lost the first meeting 106-144 and hasn't played since, with six full days to regroup before Saturday |
| Offense | Tatum (23 pts), George (13 pts), and White (15 pts) all played real starter minutes and controlled the first meeting from early on | Edgecombe led all Philadelphia scorers with 19 points on 6-of-11 shooting; Maxey struggled to find rhythm, shooting 2-of-10 |
| Defense | Held Philadelphia to 39% shooting in the first meeting despite missing three of its own rotation regulars | Allowed 52% shooting and 144 points to a Boston group that wasn't even at full strength |
| Star Power | Tatum, George, and White all played significant, uninterrupted minutes in the opener | Embiid, LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Caldwell-Pope, and Anfernee Simons were all held out of the first meeting |
| Bench Depth | Payton Pritchard's 25 points on 7-of-12 shooting off the bench was the single biggest individual factor in the margin | Labaron Philon Jr. (14 pts) and Rayan Rupert (9 pts) were the top bench scorers in a losing effort |
| Availability | Mike Conley (coach's decision), Ron Harper Jr. (right shoulder soreness), and Devin Carter (illness) were unavailable for the first meeting; no update yet for Saturday | Embiid, LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Anfernee Simons all did not dress for the first meeting; no confirmed status yet for the rematch |
Stats and availability per reputable Sportsbook score, Celtics 144, 76ers 106 (Oct. 10, 2026), accessed Oct. 14, 2026.
The two teams last played six days ago and the game wasn't close, Boston dominated for three of those quarters by double digits. Since the two teams have not played since, there is no newer form to consider when looking back at this game for a preview, which means the first game remains particularly significant.
Pritchard's ability to shoot the heck out of the night (7-of-12) and produce more than 25 points (25) per game was the biggest individual reason Boston won the game, and if he can do that on the road will be an interesting watch. Edgecombe is a testament to the fact that this young core can get the job done against this Boston side, while Maxey's 2-of-10 mark for the night remains a big question mark going into this showdown.
A 38-point deficit is a better indicator of the difference between two teams as they're built, rather than a lower one, given how it was a result from a preseason test.
Recent form and trends: Boston's 144-106 victory was never in doubt for a long time after the first few minutes and nothing has come of it since to suggest that it was a fluke.
Head-to-head history: Directly applicable here, more than is typical for a preseason preview — that six-day matchup between these two is the one piece of data that is at least relevant.
Player availability/injuries: Short rosters in first meeting due to players being unavailable or hurt. Three rotation players were missing in Boston, five in Philadelphia (including Embiid plus three other proven veterans). The 38 point advantage that helped Boston doesn't look like it's going to close unless Philadelphia's of course, which is still a question.
The key player matchups: Edgecombe's scoring against the perimeter defenders in Boston is the only individual matchup that Philadelphia won over in the first meeting, and it's the obvious area to get a better finish.
Team strengths and weaknesses: Philadelphia's bench (Pritchard, Hauser, Garza) was weakened in the opener, but that's something that can be fixed for them, whereas the starter-level disparity is not.
Situational factors: Philadelphia has a home crowd and six days of rest that it will not have when they meet first, while Boston has the same six days and a Thursday tune-up against Charlotte.
Betting market signal: There's been no moneyline or spread bet or total posted for this game as of Oct. 14.
How it adds up: The margin of 38 points isn't so easy to overcome with a venue change, and the pick remains with Boston but should fall a bit less than it did in the first meeting.
According to ESPN's 10/10/26 matchup box score (10/14/26), Philadelphia was missing Joel Embiid, LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Anfernee Simons, all DNP'd. Three of Boston's key players—Mike Conley (coaching decision), Ron Harper Jr. (right shoulder pain) and Devin Carter (illness)—were absent. There's been no news about the injuries to either team yet, so double-check both those reports near the 7:00 AM PH tip-off time for the rematch on Saturday.
But a game like this one-sided one doesn't mean it will be repeated. Preseason rotations are still a novel concept and both sides could shift their game plans for the second game that it was not tested in. Let Saturday be considered an opportunity to see if Philadelphia's absences are resolved, but don't necessarily expect the same score.
This is a game without a posted moneyline, original betting spread or total.As of October 14, 2026, there is no moneyline or original spread posted for this game, nor was a total posted. Follow the live NBA odds from Sports OKBet right before the game of the day. There is no sure thing when betting.
If Philadelphia has any of its five missing veterans, it's the one most important variable for the 76ers vs Celtics series to be competitive. Boston's advantage should be reduced by at least some of them to make some comeback, but not to be turned upside down by six days of rest and preparation.
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The first game can overshadow a bettor's mind, and make them think that the same margin will happen again. There are a number of question marks on the Philadelphia side on rosters that change week to week during the preseason. Establish a wagering limit before you bet, and limit some wagers or use self-exclusion, as needed; PAGCOR's responsible gaming resources apply to all Filipino bettors.
With neither side having played since their opening meeting, this Celtics vs 76ers game is more about getting some of the five 76ers' veterans and seeing if Philadelphia can find them all at the same time. For the time being, however, it remains with Boston. See the latest injury news & odds closer to tip-off on OKBet Sports.
Boston has won the first game by 38 points six days ago and a betting line is yet to be declared at this stage.
Boston Celtics, with some degree of certainty. For the complete explanation see the Final Prediction section above.
144-106, a 38-point margin, at TD Garden on October 10.
As of October 14, this is not confirmed. Embiid, LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Caldwell-Pope and Simons were all out for the first game, and there hasn't been an update on Saturday.
