Another chapter of one of the NBA's most storied rivalries begins tomorrow, as the Boston Celtics will take on the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The two rivals have been battling it out for decades. As of late, the Celtics have had the upper hand. Boston went 3-1 versus Philadelphia in the 2022-23 regular season and has won its last five playoff series against its old foe.

Yet, this Sixers squad is arguably the best one Boston has seen in the postseason since 1985. Philly went 54-28 in the regular season and easily swept the Brooklyn Nets in the first round. Behind MVP-hopeful Joel Embiid, who scored his season-high 52 points against Boston, and former MVP James Harden, the Sixers have enough star power to go far.

The Celtics finished three games ahead of Philly in the standings and are pretty evenly matched. Led by All-Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Boston is hungry to return to the NBA Finals after last year's disappointing loss to the Golden State Warriors. Although the Celtics' first round didn't go exactly as planned, since Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks took them to six games, they're one of the best teams left standing in the Eastern Conference.

The Green Team will have to prove that they're better than their first-round performance in order to defeat the 76ers. However, they have the talent to do so, as well as a few other external factors in their favor.

So, here are three reasons why the Boston Celtics will topple the Philadelphia Sixers in the 2023 Eastern Conference Semifinals.

3. Joel Embiid's questionable health

Embiid was undoubtedly one of the most dominant players in the league this season. He averaged 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game over the course of the 2022-23 campaign and made a very strong case for MVP. In spite of his excellent play, the 29-year-old center has had trouble staying on the court.

He missed 16 games during the regular season and faced even more injury issues in the first round versus Brooklyn. In the third quarter of Game 3, Embiid sprained his right knee while driving against Nets forward Cam Johnson:

The untimely collision sidelined Embiid for Game 4, but the Sixers still took care of business and beat Brooklyn 96-88. Philly's four-game sweep and Boston's longer series with the Hawks gave Embiid some extra time to rest, yet it still might not be enough for him to return for Game 1 of the second round:

While the six-time All-Star could end up playing on Monday, Embiid not being at full strength is significant. He played through his injury in Game 3 but was definitely bothered by it, as he put up a mediocre 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting.

The injury bug is nothing new for Embiid, so he's still been able to practice in hopes of playing in Game 1:

Overall, how Embiid's injury will impact him is unclear. But there's no doubt the Celtics would be at a serious advantage with the MVP front-runner sidelined.

2. Boston's improved bench

With Philly's best player doubtful for Game 1, bench production will be extremely important in this second-round series.

Although the Sixers' bench is better than in past years, the C's bench mob is also improved. Led by 2o23 Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon, the Celtics have a few guys on the pine who would start for most NBA squads.

Against Atlanta, Brogdon averaged 13.3 points and 4.3 assists per game (and just one turnover). Former starter Robert Williams III provided spectacular shot-blocking off the bench in the first round while averaging 8.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per outing.

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And even though Grant Williams and Sam Hauser didn't get much run for the C's last series, they're always ready to score and both shot better than 45% from deep. How each bench performs could be a deciding factor in this series.

1. Hard to contain Tatum and Brown

Stopping either Tatum or Brown is hard enough for opposing defenses, but neutralizing both is extremely difficult.

The Hawks had a lot of trouble containing the dynamic duo, as they combined for more than 50 points in four out of the six games. Whenever Tatum was off, Brown was on, and vice versa.

Of course, the C's will also have to contain Philly's terrific tandem in Embiid and Harden. The first round was pretty forgettable for the two All-Stars, yet if they can stay healthy, they shouldn't be underestimated.

Game 1 of the star-studded showdown will begin tomorrow at 7:30 EST in Boston.