The stage is set for another chapter in the NBA's most storied playoff rivalry. This Sunday, the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics will renew hostilities in the Eastern Conference first round, marking an incredible 23rd postseason series between these historic franchises—the most of any two teams in league history.

For the 76ers, this series represents a chance to finally conquer a familiar demon. The Celtics have won the last six playoff meetings between the teams and hold a commanding 15-7 series advantage overall. Philadelphia's last series victory over Boston dates all the way back to the 1982 Eastern Conference Finals, when legends like Julius Erving and Andrew Toney powered a Game 7 victory on the road. That win propelled the Sixers to the NBA Finals, and they would capture the championship the very next season in 1983.

Since that title, the path back to glory has been arduous. The 76ers have reached the Finals only once, in 2001, and have battled through decades of playoff heartbreak, often at the hands of the Celtics. A painful recent memory came just three years ago, when a 76ers team holding a 3-2 series lead at home fell to Boston in a crushing Game 6 defeat.

Now, a new-look Philadelphia squad, fresh off a play-in tournament victory over Orlando to secure the No. 7 seed, heads to Boston to challenge the powerhouse No. 2 seeded Celtics. The rivalry's weight is felt deeply by generations of fans, carrying the echoes of classic battles into a new era. For the 76ers, it's more than just a first-round series; it's an opportunity to rewrite a frustrating piece of their history and rekindle a championship pursuit that has been dormant for over four decades.