Jayson Tatum had 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in his first playoff game since rupturing his right Achilles tendon last season, and the Boston Celtics rolled past the Philadelphia 76ers 123-91 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series on Sunday.

Jaylen Brown scored 26 points and Neemias Queta added 13 for the second-seeded Celtics.

Tatum scored 21 points in the first half, playing in just his 17th game this season following surgery last May to repair his Achilles tendon.

Boston never trailed, building a 35-point lead as coach Joe Mazzulla gave minutes to 12 players. The Celtics connected on 16 3-pointers.

Game 2 is Tuesday night in Boston.

Tyrese Maxey had 21 points and eight assists for the 76ers, who played without Joel Embiid. The 2023 MVP continues to recover following an appendectomy on April 9. It’s unclear when he will be able to return.

Paul George scored 17 points and V.J. Edgecombe added 13. Philadelphia was 4 of 23 from 3-point range.

Maxey was hounded by a Celtics defense that contested 12 of his 14 shot attempts in the first half and held him to 8 of 20 from the field.

Philadelphia’s 64-46 halftime deficit was its largest in a playoff game against Boston since 1982.

Tatum had 10 first-quarter points, punctuated with an emphatic two-handed dunk, to help the Celtics end the period with a 33-18 lead.

Philadelphia struggled at the outset to keep pace with Boston’s shooting, making one of its first nine attempts from 3. The 76ers also had issues keeping Boston out of the paint after Embiid’s understudies, Adem Bona and Andre Drummond, each picked up two quick fouls.

That prompted Sixers coach Nick Nurse to bring in Dominick Barlow, who played just 10 minutes in Philadelphia’s play-in victory over Orlando.

Thunder 119, Suns 84: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 25 points and Oklahoma City began their title defense with a rout of Phoenix in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series.

The reigning league MVP made just 5 of 18 field goals but went 15 of 17 at the foul line before sitting out the fourth quarter.

Jalen Williams scored 22 points and Chet Holmgren added 16 for the top-seeded Thunder, who will host Game 2 on Wednesday.

Devin Booker scored 23 points and Dillon Brooks scored 18 on 6-of-22 shooting for the Suns, who shot 34.9% from the field.

Phoenix broke out to a 5-0 lead as the Thunder started cold following a week off.

Oklahoma City heated up quickly. Brooks was called for a flagrant-one foul in the first quarter for hitting Holmgren in the face. The Thunder went on a 12-2 surge after that to take a 24-14 lead.

Award Finalists

Defensive Player of the Year: Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio; Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City; Ausar Thompson, Detroit.

Clutch Player: Anthony Edwards, Minnesota; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City; Jamal Murray, Denver.

Most Improved Player: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Atlanta; Deni Avdija, Portland; Jalen Duren, Detroit.

Sixth Man: Tim Hardaway Jr., Denver; Jaime Jaquez Jr., Miami; Keldon Johnson, San Antonio.