James Harden rescues 76ers in OT thriller to even series vs. Celtics

James Harden drained a 3-pointer with 19 seconds remaining in additional time to gas the host Philadelphia 76ers to a back-and-forth 116-115 victory over the Boston Celtics on Sunday, leveling their Eastern Conference semifinal collection at two wins apiece.

Harden collected 42 factors, 9 assists and eight rebounds whereas Joel Embiid recorded 34 factors and 13 boards for the third-seeded 76ers, who snapped a two-game skid. Game 5 is Tuesday in Boston.

Harden made 16 of 23 pictures from the ground — together with 6 of 9 from 3-point vary — to bounce again from a pair of disastrous taking pictures performances in Games 2 and three. He sank simply 5 of 28 pictures from the ground and a couple of of 13 from past the arc within the earlier two video games.

Boston’s Jayson Tatum overcame lacking his first eight pictures from the ground to complete with 24 factors, 18 rebounds and 6 assists. Jaylen Brown had 23 factors, Marcus Smart added 21 factors and 7 assists and Malcolm Brogdon contributed 19 factors with eight rebounds off the bench for the second-seeded Celtics.

Embiid sank a pair of free throws to provide Philadelphia a 113-112 lead with 56 seconds left in additional time earlier than Tatum answered by sinking a 3-pointer with 38.1 seconds remaining. Harden countered by changing from the nook with 19 seconds left earlier than Smart’s 3-pointer was deemed to be launched after the buzzer.

Smart transformed a three-point play to provide Boston a 112-109 lead with 3:31 remaining in additional time. Embiid sank a floater, nonetheless the potential go-ahead basket was negated after he was whistled for a cost in opposition to Smart with 1:49 left, which the Sixers unsuccessfully challenged.

Earlier, P.J. Tucker transformed a three-point play to forge a tie at 105-105 earlier than being whistled for a foul on Smart, who made each free-throw makes an attempt with 51.3 seconds remaining within the fourth quarter. Harden sank a mid-range floater to stage the competition with 16.4 seconds to play, and Smart’s open 3-point try on the buzzer bounced off the entrance rim.

The 76ers led by as a lot as 16 late within the third quarter, and Embiid transformed a slick cross from Harden to provide Philadelphia a 96-88 lead with 7:15 remaining within the fourth quarter. Boston made a stand, nonetheless, as Smart drained two 3-pointers to focus on his crew’s 17-4 run earlier than Harden made a basket and Tucker transformed a three-point play to forge a tie.

–Field Level Media/Reuters