Oct 10, 2026 1:23 PM
Updated Oct 10, 2026 1:27 PM
The Celtics will take on Philly for the first time in 2026-27.
After winning their preseason opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Boston Celtics are back in action on Saturday night against the Philadelphia 76ers in the second preseason contest of the year.
It's the first of two preseason matchups between these two teams, with this one taking place at TD Garden. Tip-off time is 8 p.m. ET.
Here is what we're watching for in this contest:
What will happen with Jaylen Brown?
The 76ers are reportedly not expected to play their starters, so we aren't expecting to get a look at Brown on the floor, but that doesn't mean we can't take interest in his presence.
Will the Celtics give him a tribute video, or will they save that for the first regular season contest at TD Garden (Jan. 21)? Will Brown go out of his way to acknowledge the crowd, or will he also save that for January?
What will the crowd reaction be? How many signs will be there? It will all be fascinating to watch.
How does Jayson Tatum look?
We said this same thing before the last game, but since Tatum didn't play we are recycling it. Tatum came back from his torn Achilles to play 16 games last season, plus six more in the playoffs, but he said there was doubt every time he took the floor.
Now, he says he feels confident after a full offseason of recovery and training. I believe him, but I still want to see how that manifests itself moving forward. Is he attacking the rim more often? Does he look more explosive? What kind of attitude does he have? And does he play with any more aggression knowing that Brown is in the building?
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) cheers from the bench during the first half of a preseason game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena. David Dermer-Imagn ImagesFirst look at the big men duo
Luka Garza led the way with 22 points on Thursday against Cleveland, and this figures to be the debut for Mitchell Robinson in a Celtics uniform. How do he and Neemias Queta fit together? Who starts? Who is on the court more? And how does the offense function when each are in the game?
That will be fun to watch.
Will rookies play again?
Dillon Mitchell excelled in the opener, nearly registering a double-double in 28 minutes, but Chris Cenac Jr. struggled from the floor, going 3-of-13. Will both players play again, or will they give way to the starters mostly? It remains to be seen, but I certainly want to see more of the C's recent draft picks.
1
Comments
Powered by RoundtableBuilt on infrastructure designed for real-time media. Learn more at RTB.io.© Roundtable 2026. By using this site you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy


