Sixers expected to face division rivals in 2024 Christmas game

For the third year in a row, the Philadelphia 76ers are well on their way to playing on Christmas.

According to Shams Charania of The athleteThe Sixers are expected to play away against the Boston Celtics. It will be the first time since the 2018-2019 season that the Sixers and Celtics have met on Christmas.

When the Sixers and the Celtics met on Christmas Day 2018, the team's headliners were Joel Embiid, Jimmy Butler and Ben Simmons.

Embiid contributed 34 points, Butler added 24. Philly benefited from a solid scoring performance from sharpshooter JJ Reddick, who converted 40 percent of his three-pointers and scored 17 points.

The battle on Christmas Day 2018 required overtime. After the Sixers were defeated 13-6 in overtime, they lost to the Celtics 121-114. Boston received a lot of encouragement from their former All-Star guard Kyrie Irving.

Since playing Boston on Christmas Day 2018, the Sixers have returned to the list three more times. In 2019, they were successful against the Milwaukee Bucks, winning with a memorable 121-109 victory over Giannis Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee.

After having the following two Christmas days off, the Sixers returned to the main stage in 2022 to face the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. They were successful on the road, earning a clear victory of 119-112.

Last year, the Sixers visited the Miami Heat on Christmas Eve. Without Embiid, who suffered a setback, the Sixers had no answer for the trio of Jaime Jaquez, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. Philly lost 119-113.

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Next year's Christmas game will be a tough battle. Not only are the Celtics the league champions, but the Sixers have had a lot of trouble with the Celtics lately.

Last year, the Sixers lost all but one of their four games against the Celtics. They had a similar result in 2022-2023. Including a playoff series in 2023, the Sixers have won their last 15 games against Boston, 6-9. This season, they get a chance to exact revenge in the primetime spotlight.

Kickoff times have not yet been announced, but the Sixers vs. Celtics matchup is expected to feature the following games: Spurs vs. Knicks, Timberwolves vs. Mavericks, Lakers vs. Warriors, and Nuggets vs. Suns.

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