It’s solely becoming that the Eastern Conference playoff semifinal spherical between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers has come right down to a Game 7.
Sunday’s decider in Boston would be the eighth assembly in a Game 7 between the Celtics and Sixers — including to the groups’ document for essentially the most between two franchises in NBA historical past.
Philadelphia had an opportunity to wrap up the sequence at house, however Boston’s 95-86 victory in Game 6 Thursday compelled a Game 7. Jayson Tatum bought scorching on the proper time to assist the Celtics outscore the 76ers 24-13 within the fourth quarter on Thursday.
Tatum, who averaged 30.1 factors per sport through the common season, hit solely one among 13 pictures from the sector, and none of his first six 3-point makes an attempt, by means of the primary three intervals. He outscored Philadelphia 16-13 over the ultimate 12 minutes, nevertheless.
He was 4 of 5 from 3-point vary within the fourth quarter.
“Every timeout, every huddle, my teammates kept telling me, ‘The next one’s going in,’” Tatum mentioned. “Keep rebounding, keep getting assists, keep getting blocks, keep impacting the game. It’s going to come. So that was helpful, and just believing the next one is going in.
“Hopefully, that’s a one-time thing,” Tatum continued. “Hopefully, I start off better, things like that, but if this is what it takes for us to win, I’ll go for whatever. Sunday is obviously a big game, Game 7, and I’m excited to go back and kind of like redeem ourselves in front of our home crowd.”
Philadelphia tied Game 6, 81-81, on a jumper by NBA MVP Joel Embiid with 6:13 left within the sport, however the 76ers scored just one extra area aim. Philadelphia missed 15 of its 20 pictures from the sector within the fourth, together with eight 3-point makes an attempt.
“We stopped moving the ball,” Embiid mentioned. “I don’t think I touched the ball the last four minutes of the game. Missed a lot of good looks. I didn’t touch the ball, though.”
Tatum made 4 3-pointers within the last 4:14 of Game 6 and completed with 19 factors on 5-of-21 capturing.
“When you’re all tight and not enjoying the game, it shows,” Smart mentioned. “Your play shows it. When we’re out there just enjoying the game, having fun, playing for one another, that shows as well. It’s a positive thing to see.
“You could see, JT starts to get hot, he starts smiling. That helps. That type of energy is very, very contagious.”
Philadelphia will probably be making an attempt to maneuver previous the semifinals for the primary time since 2001, when Allen Iverson led the 76ers to the NBA Finals. Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers has a 6-9 document in Game 7s, and people 9 losses are greater than another coach in NBA historical past. He has by no means received a Game 7 on the highway.
Two of Philadelphia’s three victories within the sequence got here in Boston.
“If I have to go to war, Game 7 in Boston, I would want to go with this group,” Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey mentioned. “I know we’ve got some fighters. I know we’ve got some resilient guys. I’m ready to get it on.”
Boston trailed Milwaukee 3-2 within the semifinal spherical final season however received Game 6 on the highway and Game 7 at house.
Sunday’s winner will face the Miami Heat within the Eastern Conference finals. That sequence is scheduled to start Wednesday in Boston or Philadelphia.
