Philadelphia — The Boston Celtics relied heavily on their bench and young roster in Friday night’s preseason finale, securing a 125-120 overtime victory against a Philadelphia 76ers team featuring a full-strength starting lineup. The game took place at Xfinity Mobile Arena, where the Celtics rested all their primary players, opting instead to give extended minutes to training camp invitees and rookies.
The Celtics fielded a surprising lineup that included first-round draft pick Chris Cenac Jr., who started alongside Milos Uzan, Tucker DeVries, Gabe McGlothan, and Hayden Gray. None of Boston’s key frontliners—Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, or Sam Hauser—were active, while second-unit players Luka Garza, Ron Harper Jr., Hugo González, and Baylor Scheierman came off the bench. The Celtics’ youth competed intensely against Philadelphia’s top-tier roster, which featured former Celtics player Jaylen Brown, LeBron James in his Philadelphia debut, and perennial All-Stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
Cenac, a rookie who played 19 minutes and posted 12 points and eight rebounds before fouling out, faced notable challenges, including guarding Embiid, who drew two fouls on him. Uzan contributed 14 points in 23 minutes. Dillon Mitchell hit a crucial three-pointer with 1:31 remaining in overtime, sealing the victory for Boston and extending their preseason unbeaten run to 4-0.
Brown, who was traded to Philadelphia in June after a decade with Boston, scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds during his 31 minutes on the court. After the game, Brown exchanged words with several former teammates, reflecting on the transition. “I played there for 10 years, so [the feelings] will never be out of the way,” Brown said. “It was good to see some of the young guys. I spent a lot of time with those guys. To see them develop and get better, it’s good to see.”
Hugo González led the Celtics in scoring with 21 points on 6-for-10 shooting and added four rebounds. In contrast, Ron Harper Jr. and Baylor Scheierman struggled from the field, shooting 1-for-9 and 1-for-11 respectively. Gabe McGlothan pulled down 13 rebounds in 22 minutes. Veteran assistant coach Sam Cassell, who took over head coaching duties for the game, praised the young players’ effort, calling it a “reward” for their hard work in training camp.
The Celtics’ strategic decision to rest veterans came after giving many of their primary players significant minutes in a recent game on Wednesday. The preseason finale served as an opportunity for lesser-known players to prove themselves as roster decisions loom ahead of the NBA deadline on Monday. Boston still has one two-way contract spot open, with former first-round pick Devin Carter considered a leading candidate, although he has missed several recent games due to illness.
The 76ers fielded a near-full-strength starting five, missing only VJ Edgecombe due to injury; Kentavious Caldwell-Pope filled in his place. James logged 25 minutes and contributed eight points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, focusing mainly on orchestrating offense and building chemistry with Maxey.