Sixers vs – Game 3 of 76ers vs Celtics tips at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, April 24—watch on Prime Video as Joel Embiid is out.
The 76ers and Celtics are back under playoff lights again, with Game 3 set to decide momentum after Boston’s early swing.
The question everyone keeps asking is simple: what channel is the Sixers game on tonight? For this postseason matchup, Philadelphia’s Game 3 coverage is on Prime Video, and the game begins at 7 p.m. ET at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
Where to watch Sixers vs Celtics (Game 3)
Philadelphia will host Boston in Game 3 on Friday, April 24 at 7 p.m. ET. The broadcast option for fans is Prime Video, making it the key destination for anyone trying to catch the action in real time.
If you’re planning around the game, it helps to remember the rhythm of a tight playoff series. After a lopsided Game 1, Game 2 gave the 76ers a clear turning point: they matched Boston’s intensity, controlled stretches on the floor, and made their home crowd feel like it mattered.
Why Game 3 feels different for Philadelphia
Game 2 wasn’t just a win—it was a statement about how the 76ers can score when the game opens up.. Rookie V.J.. Edgecombe delivered one of the most impactful performances of the series. leading Philadelphia with 30 points while posting efficient shooting. including deep-ball production late when it mattered most.. His overall line also underscored the kind of all-around playoff value that can change defensive matchups and rotation decisions.
Tyrese Maxey, too, helped seal the story, especially with a late burst that turned momentum into a finish. When Philadelphia found ways to get points inside and hit perimeter shots with rhythm, Boston had trouble responding in the same way it did during Game 1.
The Celtics’ response is what keeps this series from turning into a one-way narrative.. Boston’s Jaylen Brown paced the scoring in Game 2 with 36 points and was able to keep the pressure on even as the shot-making around him cooled off.. After drilling 16 threes in Game 1. Boston came back down from the high. and the shift in perimeter accuracy played a major role in the result.
Embiid’s absence reshapes the stakes
There’s a major storyline layered into tonight’s scheduling and expectations: Joel Embiid is officially out for Game 3 after undergoing an emergency appendectomy earlier in April.. He missed the first two games. and while Philadelphia moved him through the strength and conditioning phase after surgery. the team ultimately determined he wasn’t cleared to play for Game 3.
In practical terms, that changes how the 76ers have to build their offense and manage possessions.. Without their usual centerpiece. Philadelphia’s margin for error shrinks—especially in a series against a Celtics team that punishes gaps with spacing. movement. and well-timed runs.. It also puts more on the shoulders of the guards and the supporting cast to create clean looks and keep defensive rebounding from becoming a problem.
That’s why Edgecombe’s Game 2 performance carries extra weight now.. When a team loses its most dominant scoring option. someone has to “carry” the offense while also doing enough on defense to keep the game from slipping away.. A performance strong enough to alter the game’s tempo can matter just as much as any box score number.
The rivalry context and what comes next
This is the kind of matchup that fans treat like more than a first-round series. The 76ers and Celtics have met in the playoffs 23 times, a history that naturally brings heightened attention to every swing—every run, every defensive possession, every late turnover.
Right now, the series is tied 1-1, which makes Game 3 a pressure point for both teams. Boston has already proven it can control stretches when its offense is hitting, but Philadelphia’s response showed that the Celtics can’t just expect the same easy rhythm twice in a row.
If the 76ers can keep their scoring connected—using guard play to generate good shots and staying disciplined defensively—this series remains very much in their hands at home. But with Embiid out, they’ll need consistency, not just bursts.
For viewers, the big takeaway is clear: Game 3 isn’t only about who wins the next game. It’s about whether Philadelphia can sustain the identity it showed in Game 2 without its star, and whether Boston can reclaim the three-point accuracy and pressure that defined Game 1.
And for anyone setting up the watch party, the most important detail doesn’t hide behind the drama—7 p.m. ET, Prime Video, from Philadelphia.