The defending conference champs are in familiar territory. Jayson Tatum missed his first six three-pointers before he drilled two straight clutch ones late in the game that pushed the Celtics past the Philadelphia 76ers 95-86 on Thursday night to send the Eastern Conference semi-finals back to Boston for Game 7. The home team won the first five games of the series until the Nuggets broke through in Game 6. But the three-time All-Star finished with just 12 points on Thursday. Suns guard Devin Booker was brilliant in most of the postseason, averaging 36 points per game on 60% before Game 6.
The 34-year-old had some good moments in the playoffs, but made just 1 of his first 10 shots on Thursday as the Suns fell into a huge hole. Phoenix were eliminated in the Western Conference semifinals at home for a second straight season despite a blockbuster trade deadline deal for Durant, a 13-time All-Star and one of the game’s most prolific scorers. Ayton sustained a rib contusion in Tuesday’s Game 5 while Paul has been out the past four games with a strained left groin. The Suns were playing without injured starters Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul. Nikola Jokic scored 32 points in another triple-double in Thursday night’s series clincher.
