Jayson Tatum hit 4 3-pointers within the last 4:14 of the fourth quarter and the Boston Celtics defeated the host Philadelphia 76ers 95-86 on Thursday to tie their Eastern Conference semifinal sequence at three wins apiece.
Game 7 can be performed on Sunday in Boston.
Tatum began 1-for-14 however rallied to complete with 19 factors, 9 rebounds and 6 assists on 5-of-21 capturing.
“I’m one of — humbly, one of the best basketball players in the world,” Tatum mentioned in a postgame interview on ESPN. “You go through struggles. You go through slumps. My teammates trusted me.”
Marcus Smart led the Celtics with 22 factors and Jaylen Brown added 17. Malcolm Brogdon contributed 16, Robert Williams chipped in with 10 factors and 9 rebounds, and Al Horford grabbed 11 rebounds.
Joel Embiid put up 26 factors, 10 rebounds and three blocked pictures and Tyrese Maxey added 26 factors for the Sixers, who have not superior to the Eastern Conference finals since 2001.
James Harden had 13 factors and 9 assists.
The Sixers shot simply 8-of-34 (23.5 %) from 3-point vary, with Harden going 0-for-6.
“I would say we had a lot of wide open threes,” Sixers coach Doc Rivers mentioned. “We just didn’t make them.”
Philadelphia is searching for its first playoff sequence victory over the Celtics since 1982, having misplaced to Boston 5 occasions within the postseason since then.
Tatum hit back-to-back contested 3-pointers and the Celtics led 87-83 with 3:35 remaining within the fourth quarter.
Maxey shot an airball on a trey try however then got here again to hit 1 of two free throws to chop the deficit to 87-84.
The 76ers led by 5 factors late within the third quarter and by two in the midst of the fourth.
In the second quarter, the Celtics managed the tempo, led by as many as 16 and took a 50-43 lead into halftime even with Tatum capturing 0-for-10 from the sector.
Smart paced the Celtics with 15 first-half factors. Maxey saved the Sixers shut with 15 factors earlier than the break.
When Georges Niang dropped in a trey from the nook with 5:30 left within the third, the Sixers closed inside 62-60.
After an empty possession by the Celtics, Embiid drew a foul and hit two free throws. Harden then made two free throws and the Sixers went forward 64-62.
Derrick White responded with a 3-pointer, his third of the sport, and the Celtics regained a one-point benefit.
The Sixers led 73-71 on the finish of the third.
–Field Level Media/Reuters
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
