Embiid will get a Game 7, Okogie and Biyombo head on holiday
Jayson Tatum forces a Game 7 in Philadelphia. The Celtics head back home with another chance to reach the Eastern Conference finals.
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The Sixers failed to close out the series at home and reach the Eastern Conference finals. They now need a 3rd win in Boston in this series to avoid elimination. Yet they had fought back well after a blistering start from the Celtics, who led 40-26 in the first quarter. They actually went ahead in the 3rd quarter, 64-62. But a late surge from Jayson Tatum, who had been off target until then, swung the game Boston's way (95-86).
The forward, who had scored just 3 points through 3 quarters, put up 16 in the last, including four three-pointers, to floor the Sixers. Jayson Tatum finished the night with an ugly 5/21 from the field, but it was he who kept his side alive. He forces a Game 7 in Massachusetts. Embiid recorded a double-double (26 pts, 10 rebs) but was not decisive in the final quarter. His lieutenant James Harden, the main architect of the two wins in Boston, had a poor night, with only 13 points and every attempt from beyond the arc missing.
While Joel Embiid and Georges Niang (6 points tonight) are still alive, it is over for Josh Okogie and Bismack Biyombo. The Suns were hammered by Denver in front of their own fans (125-100). Too reliant on the duo of Kevin Durant (23 pts) and Devin Booker (12 pts), Phoenix never really made an impact in this series, which they lost 4-2.
Back to back from three 👌🏽 pic.twitter.com/06sznkeNSG
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 12, 2023