Joel Embiid leads 76ers to 109-100 Game 7 win over Celtics to complete comeback from 3-1 deficit

BOSTON (AP) — Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals, beating the Jayson Tatum-less Boston Celtics 109-100 on Saturday night to complete the NBA’s 14th comeback from a 3-1 deficit.

Embiid finished with 34 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. Tyrese Maxey added 30 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. VJ Edgecombe scored 23 points and Paul George had 13.

Philadelphia, the No. 7 seed, will visit No. 3 New York on Monday night in Game 1 of the second round.

The Sixers franchise, including its time as Syracuse Nationals, improved to 2-10 in road Game 7s. Its only other win came in 1982 at the Boston Garden. It's a small measure of revenge after Boston blew out Philadelphia in Game 7 in the second round of the 2023 playoffs.

“We had a chance to beat them three years ago, didn’t do it. We came in and got it done," Maxey said.

Embiid, who debuted in Game 4 after recovering from appendectomy surgery, is the first player in NBA history to score 100 points in a playoff series despite missing the first three games. He and Maxey also became the third duo in league history to each have 25 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a Game 7.

Jaylen Brown led Boston with 33 points and nine rebounds. Derrick White had 26 points, including five 3-pointers. Neemias Queta finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds. The Celtics struggled from the 3-point line for the third straight game, finishing 13 of 49.

Brown said Embiid changed tenor of the series.

“He put a lot of pressure on us,” Brown said. “We didn't really have the answers for him.”

Boston coach Joe Mazzulla shrugged off any notion that his team was too dependent on 3s in the series.

“I love the looks that we got. I love the process that we had.. But I hate the result," Mazzulla said.

The second-seeded Celtics made their earliest exit from the playoffs since the 2020-21 season. Boston fell to 32-1 when leading a series 3-1.

The Celtics played without Tatum after he was ruled out about 90 minutes before tipoff with left knee stiffness. Brown said he didn’t find out until about 45 minutes before the game.

“Nobody told me anything. But my mindset was the same,” Brown said.

Philadelphia led for all but 31 seconds in the game, increasing a five-point halftime edge to 18 points in the third quarter. It was down to 13 at the start of the fourth and Boston opened the period on a 16-4 run to pull within 92-91.

The 76ers were leading 101-98 when Maxey got free for a layup with 1:15 remaining. Boston missed its next four shots and Philadelphia pushed it to 105-98 on a pair of free throws by Maxey.

Mazzulla said Tatum came to the team facility Saturday with knee discomfort, and the medical team decided for him not to play. Tatum briefly left Game 6 in the third quarter for unspecified treatment to his left calf. Mazzulla downplayed the significance, saying initially Tatum would play in Game 7.

With Tatum out, Mazzulla made radical changes to the starting lineup, opting to start Baylor Scheierman, Luka Garza and Ron Harper Jr. alongside Brown and White.

It was the first time that group started together this season and the Celtics quickly fell into a 9-0 hole. Philadelphia led by 15 in the first quarter and 32-19 when it ended.

Unlike in their losses in Games 5 and 6, the Celtics weren’t as quick to fire up 3s, instead opting to attack the interior of Philadelphia’s defense to get easier looks.

Boston started the second on an 18-4 run to take its first lead of the night, 37-36, on a 3-pointer by Payton Pritchard. The 76ers led 55-50 at halftime.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Boston Celtics' Baylor Scheierman gets off a pass as he battles with the Philadelphia 76ers' Paul George during the first half of Game 7 in a first-round NBA basketball playoffs series, Saturday, May 2, 2026 in Boston. (AP Photo/Jim Davis)

Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown drives past the Philadelphia 76ers' VJ Edgecombe during the first half of Game 7 in a first-round NBA basketball playoffs series, Saturday, May 2, 2026 in Boston. (AP Photo/Jim Davis)

Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum, who is injured and not playing in the game is on the bench during the first quarter of Game 7 in a first-round NBA basketball playoffs series vs. the Philadelphia 76ers Saturday, May 2, 2026 in Boston. (AP Photo/Jim Davis)

Boston Celtics' Jayson Baylor Scheierman (right) defends agianst Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid (left) during the first half of Game 7 in a first-round NBA basketball playoffs series, Saturday, May 2, 2026 in Boston. (AP Photo/Jim Davis)

MIAMI (AP) — Lionel Messi and Inter Miami had a 3-0 lead over rival Orlando City, looking poised to finally get what would be a historic first win inside the team's new stadium.

History was indeed made — by Orlando City, that is.

Martin Ojeda scored three goals, Tyrese Spicer had the go-ahead goal in the third minute of stoppage time and Orlando City stunned Inter Miami 4-3 on Saturday night — becoming just the third team in MLS history to rally from a 3-0 deficit and get a victory.

“Greatest comeback in MLS HISTORY?” read a headline on MLS' website after the match.

Orlando would surely say so.

Messi had a goal and two assists in his 100th appearance for the club, and somehow that wasn't enough against a team that came into the night near the bottom of the MLS standings. Inter Miami fell to 0-1-3 at its new stadium, and the defending champions are one of only three teams in MLS winless at home so far this season.

Ian Fray and Telasco Segovia also scored for Inter Miami, which was unbeaten (5-0-6) in its last 11 matches across all competitions and its last nine matches (5-0-4) in MLS play. And afterward, Fray said that Messi had words in the locker room — calling the outcome “unacceptable.”

“We all agree with him,” Fray said. “It is unacceptable.”

According to MLS, the other two matches where a team rallied from 3-0 down to win — excluding a shootout win by the MetroStars in 1996 — were Seattle beating D.C. United 4-3 in 2017 and LA Galaxy beating LAFC 4-3 in 2018.

Orlando City (3-7-1) had won only two of its last 15 MLS matches — including playoffs — dating to last season. Orlando City also was 0-4-1 on the road in MLS play this season.

None of that mattered. Ojeda scored in the 39th minute to send Orlando into the half down 3-1. He scored again in the 68th minute to make matters interesting.

Too interesting from the Inter Miami perspective.

Ojeda had a great chance to tie it in the 73rd minute, alone on the right side of the box. But Inter Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair came well off his line and made a point-blank save to keep the score 3-2.

Ojeda wouldn't be denied, connecting on a penalty kick in the 78th minute to tie things up at 3-3. He had another chance in the 80th minute, with St. Clair stopping that one with his face — yes, his face — to keep the match tied.

Spicer eventually got the go-ahead goal for the visitors, Messi and the Herons kept arguing over what they felt were missed calls, and time ran out.

Inter Miami has four matches left before MLS’ seven-week stoppage for the FIFA World Cup begins. None of those looming opponents — Toronto, Cincinnati, Portland and Philadelphia — was over the .500 mark entering Saturday.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Orlando City players celebrate together at the end of the second half during an MLS soccer match against the Inter Miami, Saturday, May 2, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Chris Arjoon).

From left, Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10), midfielder Telasco Segovia (8) and forward Luis Suárez (9) celebrate a goal together in the first half during an MLS soccer match against the Orlando City, Saturday, May 2, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Chris Arjoon)

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) controls the ball as Orlando City defender Robin Jansson (6) attempts to stop in the first half during an MLS soccer match against the Orlando City, Saturday, May 2, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Chris Arjoon)

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) controls the ball as Orlando City defender Robin Jansson (6) attempts to stop and midfielder Luis Otávio (5) looks on in the first half during an MLS soccer match against the Orlando City, Saturday, May 2, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Chris Arjoon)

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) battles for the ball in the first half during an MLS soccer match against the Orlando City, Saturday, May 2, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Chris Arjoon)