Celtics Beat 76ers 123-101 in Philadelphia as East's Top Two Clash

Published November 11, 2026 | Sports | TrendWire Daily

The Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 123-101 on Tuesday night, November 10, 2026, at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, taking over the top spot in the Eastern Conference in a game defined by two reunions. Paul George scored a game-high 36 points against his former team, while Jaylen Brown managed 13 in his first game against the Celtics since the July trade that sent the two stars in opposite directions.

What Happened

Direct answer: The Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 123-101 on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. Paul George led all scorers with 36 points on 14-of-22 shooting, including six three-pointers, Jayson Tatum added 21 points and Payton Pritchard had 18 as Boston won its fourth straight game. Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 24 points, and Joel Embiid played and scored 16 points despite being listed with right knee soreness before the game. Boston improved to 9-2 and moved into first place in the East; Philadelphia fell to 9-3.

Boston led from the start, taking the first quarter 30-23 and the second 32-28 to lead 62-51 at halftime. Philadelphia rallied in the third quarter, tying the game at 76-76 and again at 79-79, before Payton Pritchard's three-pointer put Boston ahead for good at 82-79. The Celtics then closed the game with a 32-19 fourth quarter and led by as many as 29 points.

It is still early in the season, and one November game does not decide a conference. But a 22-point win on the road, against the team that started the night on top of the East, is the kind of result that sets a tone. Boston did not just take the head-to-head — it took first place, and it did so in a building where the crowd was loud from the opening tip.

George Torches His Former Team

George was the game's brightest star, scoring 36 points on 14-of-22 shooting with six three-pointers, five rebounds and one assist in just over 30 minutes. It was his first game against Philadelphia since the July trade that sent him to Boston and Jaylen Brown to the 76ers, and he made the reunion a personal showcase — including a three-pointer that stretched Boston's lead to 100-82 in the fourth quarter.

George arrived in Philadelphia in form. He and Tatum had combined for 48 points in Boston's 117-97 win at Milwaukee on Sunday, and the pair carried that scoring into Tuesday night. After the game, George credited Tatum with drawing the defence's attention and leaving him free to score — a partnership that, on this evidence, is working exactly as Boston hoped.

Tatum finished with 21 points, six rebounds and four assists on 8-of-17 shooting, and Pritchard added 18 points, six rebounds and five assists, hitting four three-pointers. Sam Hauser chipped in 12 points, all four of his field goals coming from beyond the arc.

Brown vs. Tatum: The Reunion Goes Boston's Way

The other reunion belonged to Tatum and Brown, former teammates and 2024 NBA title winners together in Boston. Brown's first regular-season game against the team he called home for a decade ended in a lopsided loss: he finished with 13 points, five rebounds and two assists in 26 minutes, hampered by four fouls, and scored just five points after halftime. Tatum outscored him 21-13.

The two shared a brief greeting before tip-off that drew attention, and Brown started the game in feisty fashion, making two steals but conceding two fouls in the opening minutes. The foul trouble never really left him, and as Boston pulled away in the fourth quarter, the matchup that had been circled on calendars since the trade was settled long before the final buzzer.

Embiid Played — but Philadelphia Still Came Up Short

Embiid, who had been listed with right knee soreness before the game, took the floor and played 30 minutes and 51 seconds, scoring 16 points — 11 of them from the free-throw line — with six rebounds. His presence was not enough to change the outcome.

For Philadelphia, Maxey led the way with 24 points on 8-of-12 shooting, with four assists, and Anfernee Simons added 17 points. But the 76ers could not match Boston's fourth-quarter surge: after fighting back to level the game twice in the third quarter, Philadelphia was outscored 32-19 in the fourth, and the game was gone well before the final minutes.

The loss also exposed the gap between Philadelphia's best and Boston's best on the night. The 76ers' perimeter players had to create most of the offence, as they were always going to have to do, but without a second scoring burst to match George's 36, the comeback ran out of steam exactly when Boston found another gear.

Basketball on a polished hardwood court in an empty arena at night under spotlights

What It Means for the East

The win is Boston's fourth in a row and moves the Celtics to 9-2, alone at the top of the Eastern Conference, with Philadelphia now 9-3 behind them. The two teams meet again on January 21 in Boston, when Brown will get his first game back at the arena he called home for a decade.

Boston's schedule does not let up after this win. The Celtics travel to Toronto to face the Raptors, who are 5-5, on Wednesday, November 11, the first game of a back-to-back road stretch. Philadelphia, meanwhile, hosts the Raptors on Thursday night. The sports week has already delivered big stories, from a Grand Prix win in São Paulo to a retirement announcement from one of football's greats — and in Philadelphia, the East's top two delivered the next one.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the final score of 76ers vs. Celtics?

The Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 123-101 on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. The quarter scores were 30-23, 32-28, 29-31 and 32-19 in Boston's favour.

Who led the scoring in the game?

Paul George led all scorers with 36 points on 14-of-22 shooting, including six three-pointers, for Boston. Jayson Tatum added 21 points and Payton Pritchard had 18. For Philadelphia, Tyrese Maxey led the way with 24 points, Anfernee Simons added 17 and Joel Embiid scored 16.

Did Joel Embiid play against the Celtics?

Yes. Embiid had been listed with right knee soreness before the game, but he took the floor and played 30 minutes and 51 seconds, scoring 16 points — 11 of them from the free-throw line — with six rebounds.

How did Jaylen Brown do against his former team?

Brown finished with 13 points, five rebounds and two assists in 26 minutes in his first regular-season game against Boston since the July trade sent him to Philadelphia. He was hampered by four fouls and scored just five points after halftime, while his former teammate Jayson Tatum outscored him 21-13.

How did the game unfold?

Boston led 62-51 at halftime after winning the first two quarters. Philadelphia rallied in the third, tying the game at 76-76 and again at 79-79, before Payton Pritchard's three-pointer put Boston ahead for good at 82-79. The Celtics then outscored the 76ers 32-19 in the fourth quarter and led by as many as 29 points.

What are the standings now, and what is next?

Boston improved to 9-2 and moved into first place in the Eastern Conference, with Philadelphia now 9-3. It was Boston's fourth straight win. The Celtics travel to Toronto to face the Raptors on Wednesday, November 11, and the 76ers host the Raptors on Thursday night. The two teams meet again on January 21 in Boston.

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