The Sixers' wait is finally over. They will face the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals, with Game 1 getting started Monday at 8 p.m. at TD Garden.
Let's dive into the regular-season series and see exactly how we got here.
Game 1: Oct. 20, Celtics win (102-92)
The Sixers didn't have to wait long to face their hated rival as their first meeting of the season came in the 2017-18 home opener.
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It appeared the Sixers were on the way to victory No. 1 of the season before being outscored 33-20 in the fourth quarter. Kyrie Irving recorded seven of his game-high 21 points over the final 4:57 of regulation to close it out for the Celtics.
On the flip side, the Sixers were ice cold on offense all night long. Joel Embiid was the main culprit, shooting just 4 of 16 for 11 points in 28 minutes.
"My three-point shot is trash, so I've got to work on that," he said prior to going 0 for 6 in the loss.
Game 2: Nov. 30, Celtics win (108-97)
Another Irving takeover.
NBA
The Celtics' All-Star point guard dominated the Sixers with 36 points in 33 minutes, including nine in the fourth quarter. Irving was on target all night, going 12 for 21 from the field and 5 for 8 from three-point range.
"It's go time, man," Irving said of the fourth quarter. "Especially when the game is in the balance. It's the best time to play. It's just ultimate freedom."
That performance proved to be the difference for the Celtics against a shorthanded Sixers team that was missing Embiid on the second night of a back-to-back set along with T.J. McConnell and Markelle Fultz to injuries.
Game 3: Jan. 11, Celtics win (114-103)
Not even a trip across the pond could help the Sixers escape their issues playing with a lead from earlier this season.
In a showcase as part of the NBA's Global Games in London, the Sixers managed to blow a 22-point lead in spectacular fashion in one of their toughest defeats.
A Ben Simmons jumper put the Sixers up 49-27 with 6:56 remaining in the second quarter. The Celtics trimmed that margin to nine points prior to halftime. The C's controlled everything from that point, outscoring the Sixers 66-46 after intermission.
"They just made a run and we didn't do anything about it, didn't execute plays, didn't get rebounds, didn't get stops," Simmons said. "I think that's what it came down to."
Game 4: Jan. 18, Sixers win (89-80)
After getting word that he would be an All-Star starter, Embiid went out and showed the Celtics why in the regular-season series finale.
The center put up 26 points, 16 rebounds, six assists and two blocks in the victory.
How did Embiid turn in such a dominating effort after struggling against Boston in the previous meetings? Part of it was to send a specific message in case these two teams did end up squaring off in the postseason.
"I don't know what seed we are going to be, but that's a potential matchup in the playoffs," Embiid said. "We always want to come out and try to dominate and let them know that it's not going to be easy."
Different teams
And now here we stand with two teams that have actually changed drastically since they last played each other over three months ago.
The Sixers revamped their bench with the additions of Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova. Meanwhile, the Celtics are without Irving as backup PG Terry Rozier and sophomore swingman Jaylen Brown now lead the way.
So with that said, buckle up for a renewal of one of the NBA's greatest rivalries.