Celtics rout 76ers, Atlantic Division roundup

The Boston Celtics sent an early-season message in the Atlantic Division with a 144-106 blowout of the Philadelphia 76ers, while the Toronto Raptors picked up their first win by beating the Los Angeles Clippers 114-106. In New York, contract decisions and the emergence of a young guard helped shape the day’s storylines.

Celtics: statement win and a new perspective for Tatum

Boston’s 144-106 victory over Philadelphia was as lopsided as the score suggests, pushing the Celtics to 2-0 in the Atlantic Division and dropping the 76ers to 1-2. Even without a possession-by-possession breakdown, that margin underscores how one-sided this early divisional matchup turned out to be.

Off the court, Hoops Rumors cites a piece by Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe reporting that Jayson Tatum’s near season-long absence following a ruptured Achilles has given him a “totally different perspective” heading into this year’s training camp. Twelve months ago, Tatum was largely working on his own while rehabbing from surgery. Hoops Rumors also notes Joe Mazzulla, Luka Garza, Baylor Scheierman and George as Celtics figures to monitor, without additional details.

Raptors: first win comes against Clippers

The Toronto Raptors picked up a 114-106 win over the Los Angeles Clippers, evening their Atlantic Division record at 1-1. No other major Raptors developments surfaced from the last 24 hours, but beating a Clippers team of that caliber is a positive early checkpoint for Toronto.

Knicks and Nets: delayed extensions and a rising guard

On the Knicks’ side, Hoops Rumors reports that the team issued a statement Friday saying it is tabling extension talks with eligible players until later in the 2026/27 season. Josh Hart is among those affected, and according to Hoops Rumors he acknowledged at media day that he would prefer a different outcome regarding his deal. On the floor, New York has stumbled out of the gate at 0-2.

For the Brooklyn Nets, who sit at 2-0 in divisional play, Hoops Rumors relays that Brian Lewis of the New York Post views Egor Demin as already ready to be a major factor at either guard spot during training camp and preseason action. The same report also references Karl-Anthony Towns, Miles McBride and Julius Randle in the broader New York discussion, without further specifics.