Justin Edwards scored a team-high 22 points and made five of six 3-pointers as the Philadelphia 76ers (7-4) defeated the Boston Celtics (5-7) 102-100 at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Tuesday night. Kelly Oubre Jr. secured the go-ahead basket with 8.7 seconds left to seal the victory.
Tyrese Maxey added 21 points, while Edwards shot 8 of 9 overall, helping Philadelphia overcome the absence of Joel Embiid due to right knee soreness. Karl-Anthony Towns chipped in 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Boston led by eight points with just over six minutes remaining, but Edwards hit three consecutive 3-pointers in a span of 1:18 to put the 76ers ahead 93-92. Jaylen Brown tied it at 100 with 33.5 seconds left on the second of two free throws.
After Edwards missed his only 3-pointer of the night, Oubre grabbed the rebound and converted a layup to give Philadelphia a 102-100 lead. Andre Drummond then disrupted Boston’s final possession, forcing Derrick White into a near-midcourt shot that failed.
The 76ers have played without Embiid in five of their 11 games this season, with the 2023 MVP averaging 19.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse confirmed tests showed no structural issues, and Embiid is listed as day-to-day.
This marked the third meeting of four between the teams this season. Philadelphia won the season opener in Boston on Oct. 22, while Boston took the Oct. 31 matchup in Philadelphia. The clubs will meet next on March 1 in Boston.
The 76ers will travel to Detroit on Friday, while the Celtics host Memphis on Wednesday.
