Celtics-76ers collapse – John Krasinski, a Celtics fan, reacted to the 2026 NBA Playoffs twist where Boston blew a 3-1 lead and Philadelphia fell to New York.
The 2026 NBA Playoffs delivered a twist worthy of sitcom scriptwriting, and John Krasinski says he loved the idea of basketball fans getting a blockbuster matchup—especially after the Celtics’ late collapse.
Krasinski. who is a Boston Celtics supporter in real life. also holds a character-specific tie to the story: in The Office. his Pennsylvania-born role. Jim Halpert. is a Philadelphia 76ers fan.. With those worlds colliding on the hardwood. the storyline moved quickly from drama to heartbreak. then to a final. emphatic end to Philadelphia’s run.
In the series that set the tone, Boston entered the matchup with a 3-1 advantage over the 76ers. That lead did not hold. The Celtics ultimately lost the advantage and watched Philadelphia push the contest to a Game 7 after overturning the situation.
Krasinski’s reaction. shared in conversation connected to his upcoming film Jack Ryan: Ghost War. took a fan-first approach as he described what a Celtics-76ers clash means when it can turn into a high-stakes payoff.. For him, the best part was the sheer entertainment value of two strong teams meeting in the postseason.
“It would be just good for everyone who’s a basketball fan,” Krasinski said when discussing the appeal of the teams potentially meeting each other. He framed it as a win for fans even before the question of who ultimately advances is answered.
Philadelphia did answer that question in a way that stunned Boston. The report noted that the 76ers managed to beat the Celtics, forcing the series to seven games before closing it out in Game 7—turning Boston’s promising position into a playoff wound.
Yet the drama did not end with Philadelphia’s comeback. Even after the Celtics were eliminated, the 76ers were swept by the Knicks in the following round. That result brought an emphatic close to their playoff dreams, ending a run that began with an improbable turning point.
The most intriguing part of Krasinski’s comments came when the conversation shifted to what Jim Halpert would think about the way events unfolded for a 76ers-fan character.. Krasinski suggested Halpert likely wouldn’t be glued to every development. pointing to the responsibilities of family life and the character’s off-court priorities.
From Krasinski’s perspective. Halpert’s attention would be split between the moment-to-moment demands at home and whatever time might remain between the kids.. He added that Halpert is in Austin. Texas. and suggested that being in that routine would make him more likely to enjoy sports in whatever downtime exists rather than obsessing over specific playoff outcomes.
Krasinski also tied his view of the character’s personal arc to a major turning point from The Office’s ninth season. when Jim and Pam worked through their marital issues.. As described in the report. the recovery from that stretch leaves the impression that Jim is once again a family man—choosing time with Pam and the kids over a marathon of postseason coverage.
In addition to the on-screen storyline. the report connected Jim and Pam’s move to Austin to Jim’s professional life as part of resuming work at Athleap. a sports marketing firm he co-founded.. That detail. while rooted in fiction. matters for the playoff angle because it helps explain why Krasinski imagines Halpert would be less consumed by what happens to the team on the schedule.
Overall, the Celtics-76ers reversal and the 76ers’ subsequent sweep by the Knicks created a postseason sequence that fans could not ignore, but Krasinski’s perspective kept returning to what he sees as the human side of fandom—how real life can reshape where attention goes when the stakes rise.
John Krasinski Celtics 76ers NBA Playoffs 2026 Jim Halpert Knicks The Office