Celtics' Hauser: Sixers 'No Joke', Blueprint for Success

0:00It's April 17th, from the locker room to your ears. This is Boston Celtics News today, powered by AI, Encorey, with the story. Analysts got the Boston Celtics cruising through the first round of the 2026 Eastern Conference playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers, before Sam Houser aimed by in that noise. After practice, the Green Bay native broke it down straight, saying Philly's no joke and deserves full respect heading into the series. Houser Spidelighted their key threats, starting with Tyrese Maxx's blazing speed downhill, Paul George's all-around game, and Joel imbees dominant, presence when he's on the floor. Those dudes test your D from every angle, forcing smart adjustments right out the gate. Boston's sharpshooter laid out the blueprint for success, stressing rebounding hard and sprinting back in transition to shut down easy buckets. It's all about controlling the pace, and not letting Philly dictate the flow. Health always shakes up playoffs, and Houser pointed out they rarely saw the sixers at full

1:03strength this season. So the Celtics are diving deep into film, from when Philly was loaded, studying matchups against other squads, to prep for the real deal. Meanwhile, both sides got a scheme against each other in this chess match, and Houser reminded everyone Boston's elite too, setting up a battle where, preparation decides the winner.