**Celtics Narrowly Edge 76ers 109-108 in Thrilling Finish**
PHILADELPHIA — Jaylen Brown led the way with 32 points, and Anfernee Simons contributed 19 as the Boston Celtics never trailed in a hard-fought 109-108 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night. The win evened Boston’s record at .500 and marked their third consecutive triumph.
Payton Pritchard and Derrick White each added 15 points, helping the Celtics bounce back from a narrow 117-116 season-opening loss to the 76ers on October 22.
Tyrese Maxey paced Philadelphia with 26 points. The 76ers came into the game as one of four remaining unbeaten teams in the league. This matchup also marked the first NBA Cup game of the season for both teams.
Maxey’s aggressive drive with 20.8 seconds remaining cut the Celtics’ lead to just one point. Following a Boston turnover on the next possession, Maxey missed an underhand scoop shot from the lane with 4 seconds left. Boston’s Josh Minott was subsequently fouled but missed both free throws with 3.8 seconds remaining. Joel Embiid’s potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer fell short.
Boston commanded the first half, building a comfortable 20-point lead. Maxey’s drive with 6½ minutes left in the third quarter tied the game at 72-all, but Philadelphia was unable to regain the lead.
Embiid, still on a minutes restriction following offseason knee surgery, scored 20 points in 25 minutes and 4 seconds. Rookie VJ Edgecombe added 17 points after exploding for 34 in his NBA debut against the Celtics.
Philadelphia nearly rallied again after overcoming a 16-point, fourth-quarter deficit in a thrilling 139-134 overtime win against Washington on Tuesday. However, Boston’s resilience prevailed in the closing moments.
Up next, the Celtics will host the Miami Heat on Saturday night.
https://www.sunjournal.com/2025/10/31/celtics-beat-76ers-in-first-nba-cup-game/