Portuguese center Neemias Queta posted a strong double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds on Saturday, but it wasn’t enough to save the Boston Celtics from a devastating 109-100 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. The defeat marks a stunning first-round exit for Boston in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
In a surprising lineup shift, Queta did not start for the first time in this postseason. Despite the change in role, the 26-year-old was highly productive, anchoring the glass with 11 defensive rebounds and adding an assist in his final appearance of the 2025/26 campaign.
The series outcome defied most expert predictions. The Celtics, who held the second-best record in the Eastern Conference during the regular season, collapsed in the closing stages of the series. After holding a dominant 3-1 lead, Boston allowed Philadelphia to storm back and win three straight games—marking only the 14th time in NBA history that a team has surrendered such a lead.
This also set an NBA record for the most times two specific franchises have met in a Game 7, with this being their ninth such decider.
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Joel Embiid, remarkably back on the court just three weeks after undergoing surgery for appendicitis, proved to be the difference-maker. The 76ers superstar dominated with 34 points, 12 rebounds, and six assist.
He was brilliantly supported by Tyrese Maxey, who contributed 30 points and 11 rebounds. On the Boston side, Jaylen Brown’s 33-point effort was the lone bright spot in an otherwise stagnant offense.
For Queta, the loss brings an end to a breakthrough season. He finished the regular season as one of the league’s most efficient players, averaging 10.2 points on 65.3% shooting (the third-highest mark in the NBA), alongside 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. After playing limited minutes in his first four years in the league, Queta established himself as a core piece for Boston this year, starting 75 of 76 regular-season games and the first six games of this playoff series.
