76ers already preparing for potential NBA playoff series vs. Celtics

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We don't yet know if the 2019-20 NBA season will resume, but if it does and the rest of the regular season is scrapped, the first round of the playoffs would feature another showdown between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers.

The Sixers, like every other team, have been busy preparing for the possibility of a return to game action. In fact, 76ers general manager Elton Brand told reporters on a conference call Tuesday that his team has done a "deep dive" on potential playoff opponents, including the Celtics.

“We’re talking about the Celtics as if that could be an opponent,” Brand said, as transcribed by Sixers Wire. “Brett (Brown) and his staff have also prepared for other teams in case there is a regular season and odds change, but we have done a deep dive."

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The 76ers have largely disappointed this season and currently occupy the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race despite being a popular preseason pick to reach the NBA Finals. Brand is hoping the Sixers will have a chance to prove themselves in the playoffs, but not at the expense of health and safety amid the outbreak of COVID-19.

"As a fan, I want to see it, I want to see this team in the playoffs," Brand said. "I’ve said it many times. That is what we’re built for so I want to see that, but I know it’s going to be based on the data, the safety, and health of not just us, but of our community, but we are preparing as if we are going to go to the playoffs and play the Celtics.”

The Sixers and Celtics already played their four regular season meetings and Philadelphia won three of those games. The most recent matchup came in January at TD Garden, where the C's earned a convincing 116-95 win over the 76ers despite not having star point guard Kemba Walker due to injury.

The Celtics would have the homecourt advantage in any playoff series with the 76ers if the current regular season standings were used to determine playoff seeding.

The last time the Celtics and Sixers met in the playoffs was a second-round series in 2018. Boston earned an upset win in five games after jumping out to a 3-0 series lead. 

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