Philadelphia 76ers fans mean it this time. They really want Boston. And they made it known with “We Want Boston” chants at the end of a series-extending 106-93 Game 6 win over the Boston Celtics.
These specific chants are not a novel occurrence. Every since the 1980s, when the Larry Bird-led Celtics were winning titles and often facing the 76ers in the playoffs, opposing fanbases have used “We Want Boston” as a rallying cry.
But these specific chants were the result of an escalating feud between Celtics and 76ers fans throughout this series.
After Philadelphia fans bellowed the chant as a show of confidence during the 76ers’ Play-In Tournament victory to set up this series, Celtics fans responded in kind. As the Celtics finished off a 123-91 Game 1 win over the 76ers at TD Garden, Celtics fans let out a “We Want Boston” chant back, mocking the audacity of those 76ers fans who dared ask for the matchup. Then, in a Game 4 Boston win, Celtics fans repeated the chant again, this time in the 76ers’ building.
As the tide of this series has turned, 76ers fans reasserted their confidence and desire. With Game 6 winding down, the Xfinity Center was filled with authentic “We Want Boston” chants, not sarcastic ones. And with less than a minute left, fans dug in further with the classic “Boston sucks!” call.
“Our fans deserve this win,” guard Tyrese Maxey said in his postgame interview after scoring 30 points to lead Philadelphia. “After last game, we owe our fans this.”
In this first-round playoff matchup steeped in regional and historical rivalry, both fan bases clearly relish the opportunity to eliminate the other. And both want each other.
