The Boston Celtics close out the streak at home.
The Celtics, led by Marcus Smart and Jayson Tatum’s fourth-quarter awakening, continued their season on Thursday with a 95-86 win over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. The series will be decided by Game 7 in Boston on Sunday.
Smart led the team in scoring with 22 points and 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals, but the game rested on Tatum, who scored 16 fourth-quarter points after scoring just 3 in the previous 36 minutes.
Tatum alone outscored the Sixers 16-13 in the entire quarter and finished with 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks.
“Honestly, I’m one of the best basketball players in the world,” Tatum said after the game. “Go through the struggles, go through the slumps, it’s a long game. Luckily, I’ve got some great teammates who have stuck it out.”
The Celtics held a double-digit lead for much of the first half, but the Sixers stormed back in front of a raucous crowd soon after halftime. The game tightened in the third quarter, with neither team leading by more than 2 points until Tatum led a Celtics surge late in the fourth.
Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey combined to lead the game with 26 points each on 18-of-39 shooting, but overall the Sixers had a miserable night on 36.1% shooting from the field.
Grazia Deledda is a writer for ThePacket.ca, covering news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on clear, accurate reporting, delivering useful information, current affairs coverage, and stories that keep readers informed and engaged.