The Boston Celtics shook off a sluggish start and rode a career night from Neemias Queta to a 114-98 comeback victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.
Queta delivered a career-high 27 points and 17 rebounds — his 11th double-double of the season — while adding three blocks. It marked his third double-double in the last five games, each with at least two blocks. When the Celtics needed him most, he answered, scoring Boston’s next eight points after Philadelphia trimmed a 16-point deficit to 103-97 with just over four minutes remaining. His burst pushed the lead back to 111-98 and sealed the win.
Jaylen Brown matched Queta with 27 points to go along with eight rebounds and eight assists, and Derrick White added 21 points and eight assists as Boston became the fourth team this season to reach 40 victories. The Celtics have now won six of their last seven.
Philadelphia was paced by Tyrese Maxey’s 33 points and six assists, while VJ Edgecombe contributed 23. The loss snapped the 76ers’ three-game winning streak.
The 76ers controlled the opening quarter, building a 10-point lead as Boston shot just 30% (8-for-26) in the period. But behind Queta’s dominant first-half effort — 16 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block in under 14 minutes — the Celtics surged back.
Boston used a 15-6 run to erase the early deficit and then outscored Philadelphia 36-22 in the second quarter to take a 62-50 lead into halftime. The Celtics never trailed again.
Adding to the momentum, rookie Baylor Scheierman — playing with a splint on the left thumb he fractured in Friday’s win over Brooklyn — drilled a corner 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer off a feed from Brown and flashed a thumbs-up to the crowd.
Up next: The 76ers return home to host the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, while the Celtics travel to face the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.
