Boston, Philly set to renew rivalry

WALTHAM, Mass. — Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid are about to find out what the NBA playoffs are really about.

After dispatching the Heat in five games in the first round in their first career postseason appearance, the 76ers’ youngsters will open the Eastern Conference semifinals Monday night in Boston against the Celtics.

All those banners hanging from the Garden rafters.

All that history on the parquet floor.

All that bad blood between the two cities.

A civic rivalry that dates back to the Revolutionary War era came of age on the basketball court with Wilt Chamberlain leading the Philadelphia Warriors, and later the 76ers, against Bill Russell’s Celtics in the 1960s. Larry Bird and Julius Erving picked it up in the 1980s and was even renewed on the gridiron in this year’s Super Bowl LII.

Celtics forward Marcus Morris, a Philadelphia native, grew up watching the Allen Iverson-led 76ers that went to the NBA Finals in 2001 but lost to Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker’s Celtics in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs the following year.

He’s not expecting any favors from his hometown crowd.

“I’m expecting the same treatment as far as them not even caring that I’m from Philadelphia,” he said after practice Sunday, a day after the Celtics advanced by eliminating the Bucks in Game 7 of their firstround series. “I really don’t care either, when I’m competing against them.”

The franchises have met 19 times in the playoffs (though only three times in the past 33 years), with Boston holding a 12-7 edge.

Celtics coach Brad Stevens said guard Jaylen Brown still had some soreness from a hamstring injury he sustained in Game 7 and is doubtful for Game 1 against the Sixers. Tests on Sunday were negative, the coach said.

“It looks like it could be something that allows him to play as the series goes on,” Stevens said.

The No. 3-overall pick in the 2016 draft, Brown averaged 14.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game this season.

The Celtics are already without stars Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving, as well as Daniel Theis.