Dana White Absolutely Loves Fan Nature Of Celtics-76ers Rivalry

BOSTON — The Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers have had plenty of memorable meetings in recent years, including two battles to split the season series so far in 2023-24.

The 76ers bested the Celtics 106-103 in their first meeting before Boston returned to Philadelphia a week later for a 117-107 victory at Wells Fargo Center.

The teams meet for the first time in Boston since the Celtics downed the 76ers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals last spring. One major Celtics fan in the sports world continues to love the rivalry.

While in town being honored at “The Tradition” in Boston on Wednesday, UFC president Dana White shared how much he enjoys attending battles between the two teams.

“There’s nothing I love more than going to a Celtics game,” White told NESN.com in an interview at TD Garden on Wednesday. “The Garden is special, but I love going to Celtics games anywhere. My favorite place to go to a Celtics game is in Philly.”

White recalled past experiences at games in Philadelphia, where the recognizable sports figure traded playful jabs back and forth with fans.

“Everybody hates Philly fans,” White added. “I love Philly fans. They talk more (expletive). When I’m there, I wear all my Celtics stuff. They boo me and yell that UFC sucks. It’s awesome. The only thing better than that is leaving Philly with a win. It’s my favorite thing to do.”

With the other matchups of the season series in Boston, the Celtics would only return to Philadelphia this season for a potential playoff matchup.

The Eastern Conference rivals tip-off at 7:30 p.m. on Friday night at TD Garden.