Jayson Tatum has missed his first six three-pointers earlier than drilling two straight clutch ones late within the recreation that pushed the Celtics previous Philadelphia 95-86 to ship the Eastern Conference semi-finals again to Boston for deciding Game 7.
The defending convention champions are in acquainted territory. Boston trailed 3-2 final season within the second spherical towards the Milwaukee Bucks earlier than successful Game 6 on the street and the clincher at residence.
Game 7 is Sunday.
Tatum, who averaged 30.1 factors within the common season, by no means stopped taking pictures even because the misses stored approaching Thursday night time in Philadelphia. He missed 14 of his first 15 makes an attempt general from the ground and his ineffectiveness was a key purpose the Celtics could not maintain a 16-point lead.
With a shot at their first convention closing since 2001 at stake, the 76ers slogged by means of the primary half earlier than Joel Embiid flashed his MVP type and rallied them to a fourth-quarter lead.
Tyrese Maxey hit two free throws with 5:25 left for an 83-81 edge.
And that was it for Philly.
Tatum buried a triple for the 84-83 lead and a second that made it 87-83 and put the Celtics in agency management.
Embiid and Tyrese Maxey every scored 26 factors for the 76ers.
Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers has blown three 3-1 sequence leads over his playoff profession. While the Sixers by no means acquired that far forward, that is their second loss at residence within the sequence and so they seemingly had seized momentum within the fourth quarter.
Tatum as a substitute caught it to the 76ers with one closing dagger from outdoors for a 95-84 lead.
He completed with 19 factors on simply 5-for-21 taking pictures however the closing stat line mattered little after he keyed the 14-3 run that stored the Celtics’ convention repeat hopes alive beneath rookie head coach Joe Mazzulla.
Just like Game 3 when Philly squandered the momentum off Embiid’s MVP ceremony, the 76ers once more did not hold a packed home as rocking as they have been at tip-off. The Celtics took a quick 15-3 lead and that silenced the gang and discombobulated the Sixers.
The Celtics led 40-26 partially as a result of Embiid and Tobias Harris began 1-of-7 and James Harden 2-of-8.
The Sixers steadied themselves considerably and have been down solely 50-43 at halftime.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
