The Philadelphia 76ers made the Boston Celtics look old and vulnerable at the start of their series in Boston. This gave Sixers fans like myself hope that the trend could continue in Philadelphia, yet it decidedly went the other way with Boston’s blowout win in Game 3 on May 16. Now all of a sudden, the Celtics have gone from looking vulnerable to being on the brink of becoming the new Eastern Conference favorite.

48 hours has made a huge difference, as the Celtics went up by 2-1 over the Sixers with their Game 3 blowout, and the Miami Heat then went down 2-1 to the Indiana Pacers in their Game 3 blowout loss on May 17. Now that the Heat might very well miss the conference finals entirely, this is the Celtics’ chance to show that they can fill the widening Eastern power vacuum.

Everyone thought that a Boston-Miami conference final was inevitable, yet both teams have struggled just to establish control in the conference semifinals. However, the Celtics took a big step forward by destroying the Sixers in Philadelphia, and now they can all but put that series away with a Game 4 triumph on May 18.

If they can do that while the Heat continue to take several steps backwards, it will send a major message. In fact, it might say that even if Miami survives Indiana, it will not be the favorite in a series with the Celtics without Bosh – or even with Bosh back at less than full strength.

With the Chicago Bulls gone and the Heat struggling at less than full strength, the Eastern Conference has suddenly become the Celtics’ to lose. But if Boston cannot keep its momentum going and lets Philadelphia back in, the entire conference will become a free for all. No one seems like they want to get out of this bracket – or at least no one can stay healthy enough to try.

It is astonishing that despite Boston’s vast age and its own injuries, it actually looks like the healthiest team left in the East. While Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are often very vulnerable and Rajon Rondo has been hurt in the past as well, none of the Celtics superstars have been knocked out yet – while the younger Bosh and Derrick Rose weren’t so lucky. That alone may be the edge that takes the Celtics back to the NBA Finals one last time after all.

Yet if the Sixers find new life and even things up, the Celtics will be in limbo just as everyone else left in the East is. However, this is Boston’s chance to step up as the new team to beat in the East – although that has not been an ideal position to be in during these playoffs.

Robert Dougherty is a life-long Philadelphia resident and 76ers fan – who has become quite familar with the Celtics during that time.

Other stories from this contributor

Pacers show up 76ers by slaughtering Heat in Game 3

76ers approach crossroads moment in Game 4

Celtics restore order over 76ers in Game 3

76ers suddenly fall apart to Celtics in Game 3

Pacers second big underdog to even up an Eastern semifinal

The Philadelphia 76ers still have some hope to defeat the Boston Celtics and reach the Eastern Conference finals. Yet if that happens, even Sixers fans like myself would find it hard pressed to have any hope if the Miami Heat were there. After all, the Heat have had their way with the Sixers for two years, and even this postseason has given little indication that it might change in the conference finals.

Of course, that could be mute if one of these teams doesn’t even make the conference finals. No one thought that the Heat would be such a team a week ago, yet as it stands, they are in the exact same position as the Sixers. Now both Miami and Philadelphia are down by 2-1 and could be a Game 4 loss away from being crushed for good.

As it turned out, the Indiana Pacers were able to do what the Sixers couldn’t against the Celtics. Philadelphia salvaged a split on the road to start its series, but couldn’t ride the momentum at home and got slaughtered by Boston in Game 3 on May 16. In contrast, the Pacers rode the momentum from their stunning split in Miami and slaughtered the Heat in their Game 3 on May 17.

The 94-75 defeat was yet another low point for Miami, as it once again could not score without Chris Bosh balancing out LeBron James and Dwayne Wade. In fact, even Wade could not score period, as he had five points and showed more fireworks when arguing with coach Erik Spoelstra.

With James, Mario Chalmers and Joel Anthony combining for 57 of the Heat’s 75 points, their supporting cast took a second straight night off. Meanwhile, the Pacers were not napping, as Roy Hibbert racked up 19 points and 18 rebounds, George Hill added 20 points and Indiana had eight three-pointers to Miami’s four-for-20 shooting beyond the arc.

The Pacers showed up the Sixers by actually taking the series lead over a heavy favorite at home. Yet although Indiana had been a better team than Philadelphia all year, the Pacers were a far heavier underdog to the Heat than the Sixers were to the Celtics. But they are borrowing Philadelphia’s old playoff formula by getting hot after a powerful opponent lost a major star.

The Chicago Bulls predictably collapsed against the Sixers when Derrick Rose was injured, yet the Heat were supposed to be much better off with James and Wade even with Bosh gone. Instead, a seemingly inevitable Heat conference title may become a legacy defining upset instead – and leave the Eastern Conference wide open for anyone. Even the Sixers, if they can get their act together quicker than the Heat can.

Robert Dougherty is a life-long Philadelphia resident and 76ers fan.

Other stories from this contributor

76ers approach crossroads moment in Game 4

Celtics restore order over 76ers in Game 3

76ers suddenly fall apart to Celtics in Game 3

Pacers second big underdog to even up an Eastern semifinal

76ers look to maintain home court advantage over Pacers

The Philadelphia 76ers seemed to have a bright future ahead in their series with the Boston Celtics. However, Sixers fans like myself got a dose of harsh reality in Game 3 on May 16, when the Celtics secured the first blowout win of the series. Now the Sixers hope that the rest of the series won’t be a blowout, yet it probably all depends on Game 4 on May 18.

Was the horrific Game 3 performance an anomaly before things get tight again like they did in Boston? Or did the Celtics suck the life out of the Sixers and officially take control the rest of the way? If they win Game 4, regardless of the margin, the Celtics will answer a resounding yes to that second question.

But this test will reveal more about Philadelphia and where it stands in the short and long term. If it is already the kind of team that can brush aside terrible playoff defeats in this late stage, it can win Game 4, make this into a best-of-three battle and still dream about the Eastern Conference finals. And with the Miami Heat seemingly on the ropes already, dreams of something more might not be entirely out of reach.

They will be if Boston takes Game 4 and takes a 3-1 stranglehold, however. If the Sixers could lose twice in a row at home after putting up such a fight on the road, there’s no way they can beat the Celtics three times in a row afterwards. As such, this is pretty much their Game 7, while Boston has a bit more wiggle room to work with.

If the Sixers go down, it will be a harsh reminder that no matter how far they have come recently, there is still far too much left to do to be a real threat someday. But there’s no time to prove they can be a real threat like in the postseason – and they will still have a legitimate shot to do that with a Game 4 triumph.

This is one of those crossroads moments for the franchise, as it will show whether it is a pretender or if it still has a shot to be real contender before this postseason is over. But of course, even a Game 4 win will just spawn one or two more crossroads moments, like in a Game 6 or even a Game 7. However, to even get as far as a Game 6, Philadelphia has a lot to prove first – both to a once again heavily favored Boston squad and to itself.

Robert Dougherty is a life-long Philadelphia resident and 76ers fan.

Other stories from this contributor

Celtics restore order over 76ers in Game 3

76ers suddenly fall apart to Celtics in Game 3

Pacers second big underdog to even up an Eastern semifinal

76ers look to maintain home court advantage over Pacers

Celtics now know they are in a series with 76ers

They spent all but roughly five minutes on Saturday night playing from behind against the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Celtics held a lead in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinal round for 1:47 during the third quarter, for 25 seconds late in the fourth quarter and then the last 2:52.

Other than one brief tie in the third quarter, the 76ers were in the lead at all other points and appeared to be in position to take home-court advantage away from the Celtics.

A finishing kick, thanks to the play of Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo, enabled the Celtics to survive their earlier struggles as they grabbed a 92-91 victory over the 76ers.

Entering Game 2 tonight at 7:05 at the TD Garden, the Celtics are convinced they can play better from wire-to-wire and avoid having to scramble back.

“I really feel like we have better basketball in us,’’ said Garnett. “I’m sure as the series goes on, we will have no other choice but to get better.’’

The Sixers caused the Celtics problems with their transition game and with some interior passing that set up easy opportunities.

The Celtics have some tinkering to do in order to keep the Sixers from running and force them into a half-court offense where points have been harder to come by.

“We didn’t have it early,’’ said Coach Doc Rivers. “I thought they played harder, honestly, the first 10 minutes of the game.’’

The 76ers also contained an ailing Paul Pierce, who missed 10 of 13 shots against the defense mainly of Andre Iguodala.

“I felt good,’’ said Pierce. “They really do a good job of collapsing on me. I’m not worried. I think as the series goes along, I’m a smart enough player that I’ll figure out what they’re trying to do. They’re doing a good job of getting the ball out of my hands, but that’s leaving other guys open.’’

Rondo now fifth: With his eighth postseason triple-double on Saturday night, Rajon Rondo is tied with Oscar Robertson for fifth on the NBA’s all-time list.

Magic Johnson leads the way with 30, followed by Jason Kidd (11) and Larry Bird (10), according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Rondo had been tied for sixth place with LeBron James.

Since the 2008 playoffs, there have been just 17 postseason triple-doubles and Rondo has nearly half of them. James has five, Chris Paul has two and Tim Duncan and Russell Westbrook one each.

Only Fat Lever (twice), Kidd and Wilt Chamberlain have had postseason triple-doubles of at least 13 points with 17 assists and 12 rebounds like Rondo did in Game 1 against the Sixers, according to Elias.

“He’s an amazing player,’’ said Collins. “He really is. He takes that ball wherever he wants to take it on the floor.”

Day of rest: The Celtics took Sunday off since there is only on day off in between the first four games of the series. … Tony Battie, who started for the Celtics in 2002 when they last faced the 76ers in the postseason, was a DNP for Philadelphia in Game 1.

The Philadelphia 76ers were very impressive over the last two weeks when they became only the fifth eighth seed in NBA playoff history to knock off a top seed after beating the Chicago Bulls in six games.

While the Celtics were plenty willing to give their Eastern Conference semifinal foe its just due for the feat heading into this series, they were also quick to remind everyone that while the 76ers have done some very impressive things lately, they have been doing them for a long, long time.

Despite being outplayed, and at times outhustled, for the bulk of the first three quarters in Saturday night’s Game 1 at TD Garden, that been-there, done-that confidence came through in the fourth quarter when the Celtics rallied from 10 points down for a 92-91 victory.

“We figure out ways to win,” Celtics captain Paul Pierce said. “This team has tons of experience. We have the savvy to find ways, and we just keep doing it.”

Game 2 is tonight at 7 at TD Garden.

Sixers coach Doug Collins, and several Philadelphia players, admitted after the game that when it came to crunch time, the Celtics made the plays like they’ve made them thousands of times before, while the 76ers looked like they were trying to feel their way through a maiden voyage in the pressure cooker.

“You have two teams coming into the series on a high,” Celtics guard Ray Allen said. “You have two teams that have an idea from their team and their season that they can do great things. It boils down to those small, little things – who’s willing to work harder- because at this point you know everyone’s tendencies.”

A lot of Boston’s work came defensively in the fourth quarter when the Celtics picked up Philadelphia’s athletic perimeter players far from the basket and forced them to have to execute in the halfcourt set. When the 76ers couldn’t make contested shots, the Celtics then took care of the glass as they outrebounded the Sixers 28-16 in the second half after an eight-rebound deficit on the boards in the first half.

“I thought we did a good job of just settling down,” Pierce said. “Every time we took the lead, they made a run. But we just gathered ourselves, gathered ourselves, kept grinding, kept grinding.

“We started rebounding the ball a lot better and the defense really settled in. That’s why we took the lead and overcame.”

Even as Boston faced a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter after already having dug out of a 13-point gap early in the game, Celtics coach Doc Rivers said he had the sense his team was poised to overcome another double-digit hole down the stretch.

The Celtics kept feeding Kevin Garnett in what they considered a mismatch on his way to a 29-point night, Pierce got to his sweet spot for a devastating jumper and a six-point lead in the final minute, and Rajon Rondo took the dare and hit two critical jump shots that must have had the Sixers shaking their heads.

“When we cut the lead the first time, and then they pumped it back up, I didn’t feel bad about the game,” Rivers said. “I didn’t know whether we were going to win or lose. But, mentally, I felt we were still very much in the game.

“To me, that’s a good sign. That doesn’t mean you’re going to win it. But it means you’re going to stay in it and you’re going to keep playing the right way.”

It’s a way the core of the Celtics has been playing together amid five straight trips to the Eastern Conference semifinals.

It’s a way the young 76ers still must learn how to play at the end of close game.

The hope from the Celtics is that it still takes them a little while longer to figure it out.

The Philadelphia 76ers were impressive over the last two weeks. They became only the fifth eighth seed in NBA history to knock off a top seed, beating the Chicago Bulls in six games.

The Celtics were plenty willing to give their Eastern Conference semifinal foe its just due for the feat heading into this series. But they were also quick to remind everyone that while the 76ers have done some impressive things lately, the Celtics themselves have been doing them for a long, long time.

Despite being outplayed, and at times outhustled, for the bulk of the first three quarters in Saturday night’s Game 1 at TD Garden, that been-there, done-that confidence came through in the fourth quarter when the Celtics rallied from 10 points down for a 92-91 victory.

“We figure out ways to win,” Celtics captain Paul Pierce said. “This team has tons of experience. We have the savvy to find ways, and we just keep doing it.”

Game 2 is tonight at 7 p.m. at TD Garden.

Sixers coach Doug Collins, and several Philadelphia players, admitted after the game that when it came to crunch time, the Celtics made the plays like they’ve made them thousands of times before, while the 76ers looked like they were trying to feel their way through a maiden voyage.

“You have two teams coming into the series on a high,” Celtics guard Ray Allen said. “You have two teams that have an idea from their team and their season that they can do great things. It boils down to those small, little things — who’s willing to work harder — because at this point you know everyone’s tendencies.”

A lot of Boston’s work came defensively in the fourth quarter, when the Celtics picked up Philadelphia’s athletic perimeter players far from the basket and forced them to execute in the halfcourt set. When the 76ers couldn’t make contested shots, the Celtics then took care of the glass. They outrebounded the Sixers 28-16 in the second half after an eight-rebound deficit in the first half.

“I thought we did a good job of just settling down,” Pierce said. “Every time we took the lead, they made a run. But we just gathered ourselves, gathered ourselves, kept grinding, kept grinding.

“We started rebounding the ball a lot better and the defense really settled in. That’s why we took the lead and overcame.”

Even as Boston faced a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter after already having dug out of a 13-point gap early in the game, Celtics coach Doc Rivers said he had the sense his team was poised to overcome another double-digit hole down the stretch.

The Celtics kept feeding Kevin Garnett in what they considered a mismatch on his way to a 29-point night, Pierce got to his sweet spot for a devastating jumper and a six-point lead in the final minute, and Rajon Rondo — dared to shoot — hit two critical jump shots that must have had the Sixers shaking their heads.

“When we cut the lead the first time, and then they pumped it back up, I didn’t feel bad about the game,” Rivers said. “I didn’t know whether we were going to win or lose. But, mentally, I felt we were still very much in the game.

“To me, that’s a good sign. That doesn’t mean you’re going to win it. But it means you’re going to stay in it and you’re going to keep playing the right way.”

It’s a way the core of the Celtics has been playing for half a decade together amid five straight trips to at least the Eastern Conference semifinals.

It’s a way the young 76ers still must learn how to play at the end of close games.

The hope from the Celtics is that it takes them a little while longer to figure it out.

(Scott Souza can be reached at 781-398-8006 or ssouza@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @scott_souza.)

The Philadelphia 76ers were very impressive over the last two weeks when they became only the fifth eighth seed in NBA playoff history to knock off a top seed after beating the Chicago Bulls in six games.

While the Celtics were plenty willing to give their Eastern Conference semifinal foe its just due for the feat heading into this series, they were also quick to remind everyone that while the 76ers have done some very impressive things lately, they have been doing them for a long, long time.

Despite being outplayed, and at times outhustled, for the bulk of the first three quarters in Saturday night’s Game 1 at TD Garden, that been-there, done-that confidence came through in the fourth quarter when the Celtics rallied from 10 points down for a 92-91 victory.

“We figure out ways to win,” Celtics captain Paul Pierce said. “This team has tons of experience. We have the savvy to find ways, and we just keep doing it.”

Game 2 is tonight at 7 at TD Garden.

Sixers coach Doug Collins, and several Philadelphia players, admitted after the game that when it came to crunch time, the Celtics made the plays like they’ve made them thousands of times before, while the 76ers looked like they were trying to feel their way through a maiden voyage in the pressure cooker.

“You have two teams coming into the series on a high,” Celtics guard Ray Allen said. “You have two teams that have an idea from their team and their season that they can do great things. It boils down to those small, little things — who’s willing to work harder — because at this point you know everyone’s tendencies.”

A lot of Boston’s work came defensively in the fourth quarter when the Celtics picked up Philadelphia’s athletic perimeter players far from the basket and forced them to have to execute in the halfcourt set.

When the 76ers couldn’t make contested shots, the Celtics then took care of the glass as they outrebounded the Sixers 28-16 in the second half after an eight-rebound deficit on the boards in the first half.

“I thought we did a good job of just settling down,” Pierce said. “Every time we took the lead, they made a run. But we just gathered ourselves, gathered ourselves, kept grinding, kept grinding.

“We started rebounding the ball a lot better and the defense really settled in. That’s why we took the lead and overcame.”

Even as Boston faced a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter after already having dug out of a 13-point gap early in the game, Celtics coach Doc Rivers said he had the sense his team was poised to overcome another double-digit hole down the stretch.

The Celtics kept feeding Kevin Garnett in what they considered a mismatch on his way to a 29-point night, Pierce got to his sweet spot for a devastating jumper and a six-point lead in the final minute, and Rajon Rondo took the dare and hit two critical jump shots that must have had the Sixers shaking their heads.

“When we cut the lead the first time, and then they pumped it back up, I didn’t feel bad about the game,” Rivers said. “I didn’t know whether we were going to win or lose. But, mentally, I felt we were still very much in the game.

“To me, that’s a good sign. That doesn’t mean you’re going to win it. But it means you’re going to stay in it and you’re going to keep playing the right way.”

It’s a way the core of the Celtics has been playing for half a decade together amid five straight trips to at least the Eastern Conference semifinals.

It’s a way the young 76ers still must learn how to play at the end of close game.

The hope from the Celtics is that it still takes them a little while longer to figure it out.

Philadelphia Sixers coach Doug Collins warned his team about the Boston Celtics’ third-quarter prowess this season.

Perhaps that advisory should have been extended into the fourth quarter as well.

Leading for most of the game and by as many as 10 early in the fourth, the 76ers could no longer contain Kevin Garnett or Rajon Rondo, who ignited a 23-7 surge to start the final quarter, helping the Celtics steal Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 92-91 victory Saturday night.

Game 2 is Monday in Boston.

“I think they’re the top third-quarter team in the league this year and Coach really stressed that,” Philadelphia forward Elton Brand said. “So, when we pushed that lead back up to 10, it was just a feeling like we had a chance there.”

Rondo and company had other ideas.

Kevin Garnett scored 29 points — his most in the regular- or postseason this year — and added 11 rebounds on Saturday night to give the Boston Celtics a 92-91 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in the opener of their Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Rajon Rondo had 17 assists, 13 points and 12 rebounds for his eighth career playoff triple-double. He ran the length of the court to receive the inbounds pass and dribble out the final 3.4 seconds of the game.

Game 2 is Monday night in Boston before the series shifts to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4.

Andre Iguodala scored 19 points and Evan Turner had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the 76ers, who advanced to the second round for the first time since 2003 by beating East No. 1 seed Chicago.

The Sixers led 77-67 with 11 minutes to play before Boston scored 23 of the next 30 points, with Rondo making a jumper to cut it to 80-79, then another with 3:37 left to give Boston the lead.

After Spencer Hawes’ basket from the right baseline put the Sixers up 84-83, Rondo drove to the basket and, with his path blocked, turned and handed the ball to Garnett. He banked one in and drew the foul to give Boston a two-point lead, then added another jumper.

After misses by Turner and Lou Williams, Paul Pierce hit a fall-away jumper with 78 seconds left to make it a six-point lead — the Celtics’ biggest of the night.

Jrue Holliday’s jumper cut it to three points, then Rondo fouled him with 3.4 seconds left and he made both foul shots. Boston inbounded the ball from between the benches, and Rondo sprinted back into the backcourt and outran his defender to the wrong basket as the time expired.

Pierce, who had a sprained MCL in his left knee, scored 14 points on 3-for-11 shooting. Rondo was only 6 for 15 from the floor, but he was 3 for 6 in the fourth quarter, adding five rebounds and four assists.

Both teams advanced by winning their first-round series in six games: Boston beat Atlanta, and Philadelphia eliminated the Bulls to become the fifth No. 8 seed to eliminate a No. 1. They got only one day off before beginning the second round in Boston, where the Celtics earned their only victory against the Sixers this year.

Philadelphia won the two games at home, including a 32-point victory on March 7. None of the three regular-season meetings between the teams was close.

The Sixers scored the first seven points of the game and led by 10 at the end of the first quarter, when Boston shot 30 percent. It was 45-32 when Boston scored 10 of the last 12 points in the half, with Rondo picking up four assists and a steal in the final 3 minutes before the break.

A little more than two minutes into the third, Avery Bradley outraced Rondo to a long rebound and took it in, splitting defenders Iguodala and Holiday for the reverse layup that made it 48-47 — Boston’s first lead of the game. Philadelphia quickly retook the lead and extended it to eight points.

The Boston Celtics certainly caught a lucky break when the No. 8 seed Philadelphia 76ers knocked off the No. 1 seed Chicago Bulls. The injury to Bulls’ superstar Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah played a part, but Chicago remains a very skilled team even in their absence. Philadelphia proved they are a team to be taken seriously in the playoffs and the Celtics will need to do just that.

While the home court rests in favor of the Celtics, the 76ers have the emotional advantage of defeating the Bulls. It is business as usual for Boston while Philadelphia is relishing in a successful season.

What will be most important in this game and this series is to focus on the task at hand. They cannot think about a potential matchup with the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. Miami still has to make it through the Indiana Pacers for that matter. One game at a time and 12 more victories is all that stands in the way of an NBA Championship.

The matchup:

The Boston Celtics will take on the Philadelphia 76ers at the TD Garden located in Boston, Mass. on Saturday, May 12, 2012 at 8 p.m. EDT.

The standings:

Boston comes into Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semis finishing the regular season with a 39-27 record and was 24-9 on their home court this year. They defeated the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Quarters in six games.

Philadelphia enters the matchup having finished the season with a 35-31 record and was 16-17 on the road this year. They defeated the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Quarters in six games.

The playoff series:

The playoff series is currently tied at 0-0.

Where to watch:

The game can be watched live nationwide on TNT.

The playoff statistic leaders:

Boston: Paul Pierce- 21.2 points per game, Rajon Rondo- 11.8 assists per game, Kevin Garnett- 10.5 rebounds per game.

Philadelphia: Jrue Holiday- 18.2 points per game, Jrue Holiday- 4.7 assists per game, Spencer Hawes- 8.0 rebounds per game.

Injuries to note:

Boston: Chris Wilcox (aortic abnormality), Jeff Green (aortic aneurysm).

Philadelphia: No significant injuries

More Boston Celtics Commentary from Paul Rados:

Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics, Eastern Quarters Game 6: Fan Playoff Preview

Boston Celtics at Atlanta Hawks, NBA Eastern Quarters Game 5: Fan Playoff Preview

Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics, Eastern Quarters Game 4: Fan Playoff Preview

Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics, Eastern Quarters Game 3: Fan Playoff Preview

Boston Celtics should dominate with Miami trio likely to rest: Fan Preview

Sources:

All data provided by NBA.com

Paul Rados is an avid Boston Celtics fan and a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @PSRados or leave him a message on Facebook.

The 35-win Philadelphia 76ers defeated the 50-win Chicago Bulls 4-2 in the opening round of the 2012 NBA Playoffs to become just the third number eight seed in NBA history to beat a number one seed in a seven-game series. Yes, the Bulls were without Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah for much of the series, but that does not diminish Philadelphia‘s accomplishment in the slightest bit.

For the first time in nearly a decade, the 76ers have won a playoff series, and they will face the Boston Celtics in an Eastern Conference semifinals matchup. Boston advanced to the second round by beating the Atlanta Hawks 4-2. The Celtics and 76ers are longtime Atlantic Division rivals and are meeting in the postseason for the first time since Boston defeated Philadelphia 3-2 in the first round of the 2002 NBA Playoffs.

The Celtics and 76ers met three times during the regular season with Philadelphia winning the series 2-1. All three games were won by the home team.

Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers Eastern Conference Semifinals Schedule

Game 1: Saturday, May 12, Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics, 8:00 p.m. ET on TNT

Game 2: Monday, May 14, Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics, 7:00 p.m. ET on TNT

Game 3: Wednesday, May 16, Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers, 7:00 p.m. ET on TNT

Game 4: Friday, May 18, Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers, TBD on ESPN

Game 5: Monday, May 21, Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics, TBD on TNT (if necessary)

Game 6: Wednesday, May 23, Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers, TBD on ESPN (if necessary)

Game 7: Saturday, May 26, Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics, TBD (if necessary)

Although the three regular-season games (which were all double-digit affairs) might suggest otherwise, this series is likely to be a hotly contested and competitive battle. Both the Celtics and 76ers have played solid defense all season long. During the regular season, both teams held their opponents to less than 97 points per 100 possessions (the average NBA team allowed 101.84 points per 100 possessions). Boston and Philadelphia have raised their defensive intensity during the playoffs and are allowing just 89.5 and 92.0 points per 100 possessions, respectively.

This series will be a defensive battle. The team that finds a way to consistently manufacture points against the opposing team’s stellar defense is the team that will likely advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Rajon Rondo is Boston’s offensive motor, and the 76ers will have to limit his effectiveness if they want to win this series. In three regular-season meetings against Philadelphia, the Celtics had a phenomenal offensive rating of 117.1 in the 97 minutes that Rondo was on the floor. When he was resting on the bench, Boston’s offensive rating plummeted to 69.6. That astounding 47.5 difference shows just how important Rondo is to the Celtics’ offense.

To limit his effectiveness, the 76ers will have to keep Rondo out of the paint and crowd his passing lanes. If Rondo penetrates the lane on a regular basis, Philadelphia’s defense will eventually collapse, which will allow Ray Allen and Paul Pierce to spot up for open jumpers.

Offensively, the 76ers will need to get out in transition and score as many easy points as they possibly can. To create those transition opportunities, Philadelphia will have to force Boston into as many turnovers as possible. If the 76ers, who lack a clear playmaker, repeatedly find themselves trying to score against Boston’s vaunted half-court defense, Philadelphia will have a difficult time putting up enough points to win four games in this series.

Prediction: Celtics 4-2

Mark is a lifelong fan of the NBA who has loved the game of basketball ever since his first trip to an NBA arena. Mark has watched more basketball games than anyone can count and has hundreds of articles about the NBA published on the internet. Mark also shares his random NBA musings and game-by-game predictions on RandomNBAFan.com.

More on the 2012 NBA Playoffs:

2012 NBA Playoffs: Boston Celtics Vs. Atlanta Hawks Fan’s Preview

2012 NBA Playoffs: Chicago Bulls Vs. Philadelphia 76ers Fan’s Preview

2012 NBA Playoff Power Rankings: Fan’s Take

2012 NBA Playoffs: Los Angeles Lakers Vs. Denver Nuggets Fan’s Preview

2012 NBA Playoffs: Memphis Grizzlies Vs. Los Angeles Clippers Fan’s Preview

Information from ESPN.com’s Boston Celtics 2012 Schedule, Hollinger’s NBA Team Stats; Basketball-Reference.com’s Philadelphia 76ers Franchise Index; and NBA.com’s Advanced Stats was used for this article.

Posted: 05:34 PM ET May 11, 2012

By Ben Golliver | NBA Blogger

Previewing the Eastern Conference Semifinals series between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers.

Biggest Strength

Boston Celtics: No team put up better defensive efficiency numbers during the first round of the playoffs than the Celtics, not even the San Antonio Spurs, who swept a No. 8 seed and won by an average margin of 16 points per game. That’s been the calling card of the Kevin Garnett era, of course, but their performance against the Atlanta Hawks in the first round was particularly impressive. Despite the absence of a quality center on the roster, a one-game suspension for Rajon Rondo and injuries of various sorts to Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Avery Bradley, the Celtics never allowed more than 87 points. The Hawks, who were a slightly above-average offense during the regular season, ranked dead last in offensive efficiency during the postseason.

Philadelphia 76ers: Like the Celtics, the Sixers also advanced on the strength of their defense, springing the upset on the depleted No. 1 seeded Bulls by holding Chicago under 80 points in three of the six games. Philadelphia was one of the league’s leaders in defensive efficiency all season long, finishing No. 3 overall, thanks to perimeter stopper Andre Iguodala and a concentrated, focused approach instilled by coach Doug Collins. This series between two division rivals looks as if it will be the grinder of all grinders.

Biggest Weakness

Boston Celtics: The Celtics probably have more questions about their health than any team remaining in the postseason. The biggest is Paul Pierce, who was asked to play 37.7 minutes per game against the Hawks despite dealing with a knee sprain as the series progressed. Guard Ray Allen’s ankle seems to have improved since the playoffs began, but he clearly hasn’t been himself — shooting 1 for 7 from deep during Game 6 — even if his overall postseason averages approximate his regular season performance. Doc Rivers has relied heavily on his starters in the postseason, with good reason, and it’s difficult to envision a scenario where Boston is able to advance if they are getting only fractional contributions from Pierce and Allen given the available reserves.

Philadelphia 76ers: Philly’s offense is merely alright, but a bigger concern could be the mental battle. It’s rare to see a coach exhibit the kind of emotions that Collins did after the Sixers finished off the Bulls on Thursday. Sure, no one foresaw Philadelphia pulling the upset, but the extenuating circumstances of Derrick Rose’s torn ACL in Game 1 quickly swung the series in Philly’s favor. That the Sixers would be so triumphant and elated given the circumstances raises the question of whether they are simply “happy to be here” and if they will be ready for Boston’s ever-present mind games and intimidation tactics. With the series starting on Saturday, there’s no real down time to process those emotions and prepare, either. Straight into the fire.

X-Factor

Boston Celtics: Celtics guard Avery Bradley shot 37.2 percent against the Hawks and averaged less than an assist per game, and yet he still managed to emerge as a new household name thanks to his aggressive on-ball defense and near-constant harassment of Joe Johnson. Bradley is well-equipped to defend Jrue Holiday, Lou Williams and Evan Turner, and he showed impressive maturity and steadiness in standing in for Rondo during his Game 2 suspension. Philly laid a massive egg on offense in a Game 5 loss to the Bulls, scoring just 69 points for the game and only 26 in the first half while shooting 32.1 percent from the field. Normally, you wouldn’t expect to see those numbers repeat, but Bradley and company will surely make their lives difficult.

Philadelphia 76ers: The Sixers generally lack explosiveness on offense but Lou Williams, one of the top vote-getters for Sixth Man of the Year this season, has the ability to score in bunches. Of course, he didn’t show that at all against Chicago: his scoring and shooting numbers were down, and he shot just 15.4 percent from deep. If Williams can’t cut out that clanking, Philly will be in a world of hurt in the halfcourt offense.

Match-Up Advantage

Boston Celtics: Jrue Holiday is no bum, but he’s also no Rajon Rondo. Holiday averaged 17.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists in the opening round series against the Bulls, and he did a nice job of limiting his turnovers, commiting just 10 over six games while playing heavy minutes. Rondo is a totally different challenge than C.J. Watson, obviously, and Holiday will have his hands full. Rondo averaged 6.0 points, 13.3 assists and 1.7 steals in three regular-season games versus Philadelphia. He averaged 16.8 points, 11.8 assists and 3.4 steals against the Hawks, though, while controlling the gameflow for much of the series.

Philadelphia 76ers: The Sixers didn’t go particularly deep into their bench against the Bulls, but they do boast a raw talent advantage over the Celtics when it comes to reserves, thanks to Williams and forward Thaddeus Young. Unfortunately, Williams wasn’t at his best against the Bulls and neither was Young, who averaged 7.2 points and 5.3 rebounds against Chicago after scoring 12.8 points and grabbing 5.2 rebounds during the regular season. The problem for the Sixers is that Boston matches up well with both Williams and Young. Their best bet is to hope that the Celtics starters get into foul trouble, so the pair can feast on weaker — and in some cases no-name — reserves.

Will Win If…

Boston Celtics: The Celtics will win this series if they can keep Paul Pierce healthy, if Rajon Rondo can keep his head in the game and if they continue to bring the effective team defense they played against the Atlanta Hawks. Boston has homecourt advantage, significantly more playoff experience, the best player in the series (Rondo) and the most influential player in the series (Garnett). The series should be played in their style — all-defense, methodical — and they have more proven closing weapons (Pierce and Allen) than Philadelphia. An Eastern Conference Finals birth is Boston’s for the taking.

Philadelphia 76ers: The Sixers will win this series if they get some help, either in the form of an injury to a key member of the Celtics starting lineup, some late-game luck like they enjoyed during Game 6 against the Bulls, or a meltdown from one of Boston’s volatile stars (Garnett and Rondo). The Sixers are more likely to gimmick out a series victory than they are to win it based on the merits.

Prediction: Celtics in six.