Ever since the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers opened the 2022-23 NBA season, the two rivals seemed destined to meet in the playoffs.
Here we are.
After the Celtics dispatched the pesky Atlanta Hawks in Game 6 Thursday night -- and 11 days after the 76ers swept the Brooklyn Nets -- they will officially face one another in a true clash of the titans in the Eastern Conference semifinals beginning Monday night inside Boston's TD Garden.
Game 1 will be the fifth meeting between them, with Boston winning the season series 3-1.