Home BASKETBALL NBA Sixers Force Game 6 Behind Embiid’s 33; Knicks Rout Hawks for 3-2 Lead

Sixers Force Game 6 Behind Embiid’s 33; Knicks Rout Hawks for 3-2 Lead

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Celtics to stay alive
Celtics to stay alive

The 76ers avoid elimination with a 28-11 fourth quarter to beat the Celtics. Embiid stars in his second game back from surgery. Knicks take 3-2 lead after blowing out Atlanta 126-97.


Philadelphia stays alive as Joel Embiid leads a second-half charge vs Boston. Game 6 is Thursday in Philly. Knicks rout Hawks to go up 3-2 with Game 6 in Atlanta...

  
Joel Embiid put up 33 points and eight assists Tuesday to lead Philadelphia past the Boston Celtics 113-97, keeping the 76ers’ NBA playoff hopes alive.

 
Playing in just his second game back after an April 9 emergency appendectomy, the Cameroonian big man took over in the second half to help the Sixers cut the deficit to 3-2 in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference first-round series.


“It's kind of hard. I only had once chance to go up and back (on the court) before I came back,” Embiid said. “Using this game and last game to kind of get back into it.


“I found my rhythm in the second half. We adjusted some stuff at halftime. I feel OK. I feel good. We got a win. That's all that matters.”


The series heads back to Philadelphia on Thursday for Game 6, with a decisive Game 7 in Boston on Saturday if required.


“We did our job,” Embiid said. “We're going to need everybody to come back to Boston.”


Embiid was cold from three early, then took control in the paint.


“When they got the lead early, we kept playing our game,” Embiid said. “I missed a couple (outside) and I went inside and found some luck.”



  
Tyrese Maxey posted 25 points and 10 rebounds for Philadelphia, while Paul George added 16 points and nine boards.

 
For Boston, Jayson Tatum finished with 24 points and 16 rebounds, and Jaylen Brown scored 22.

  
But Boston collapsed in the fourth, getting outscored 28-11. It was the Celtics’ lowest-scoring quarter all season with a chance to close the series.

  
The winner of Celtics-76ers, with Boston chasing a second NBA title in three years, will face either New York or Atlanta in the second round.

  
Philadelphia hasn’t advanced in the playoffs since sweeping Brooklyn in the first round in 2023.


Boston, which has made the playoffs in all but one season since 2007, is aiming for a fifth straight trip to the second round and ninth in 10 years.

  
The Celtics took a 57-50 lead into halftime, but a V.J. Edgecombe three pulled the Sixers within 66-65 midway through the third.


Embiid tweaked his left knee late in the third and went to the locker room with the game in the balance.

  
Boston rattled off a 7-0 run while he was out, but Embiid returned before the fourth and the Celtics led just 86-85 heading into the final period.


Embiid then powered Philly to a 102-94 lead - its biggest of the night - with 5:16 to play, and Boston never got back in it.

  
Meanwhile, the Knicks took a 3-2 series lead with a 126-97 blowout of the Hawks at Madison.




Jalen Brunson dropped 39 points on 15-of-23 shooting and dished out eight assists for New York, while Karl-Anthony Towns posted 16 points and 14 rebounds.


Atlanta needs a Game 6 win at home Thursday to force a decisive Game 7 in New York on Saturday.




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