NBA: Celtics hold off Hawks to advance to second round of playoffs

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Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics celebrates their 128-120 win over the Atlanta Hawks with Jaylen Brown #7 after Game Six of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs at State Farm Arena on April 27, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics celebrates their 128-120 win over the Atlanta Hawks with Jaylen Brown #7 after Recreation Six of the Jap Convention First Spherical Playoffs at State Farm Area on April 27, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Pictures/AFP 

Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum mixed for 62 factors and the Boston Celtics clamped down late to carry off the Atlanta Hawks in a 128-120 thriller on Thursday to win their NBA Jap Convention first-round playoff collection.

The Celtics, attempting to get again to the NBA Finals after falling final season to the Golden State Warriors, gained the best-of-seven collection 4-2 to line up a convention semi-final showdown with a Philadelphia 76ers crew led by Joel Embiid and James Harden.

Trae Younger, hero of the Hawks’ 119-117 come-from-behind victory in recreation 5 that prolonged the collection on Tuesday, scored 30 factors with 10 assists.

However Younger ran out of gasoline within the second half, scoring simply 5 factors after the break and ending the sport nine-for-28 from the sphere.

Brown scored 32 factors and Tatum had 30 for the Celtics, who used an 11-0 run within the fourth quarter to lastly take management of a recreation that featured 22 lead adjustments and was tied 15 instances.

“I feel in that fourth quarter, 4 minutes left, we made profitable performs,” Tatum advised broadcaster TNT. “We talked about it earlier than the sport — do no matter it takes.”

The lead modified palms seven instances within the fourth quarter alone. Former Hawk Al Horford put the Celtics up for good with a three-pointer with 3:35 remaining.

Tatum adopted with one other three-pointer, Brown produced a block and Tatum slammed residence a Horford miss to cap the 11-0 run that had the Celtics up by eight with 2:07 to play.

Atlanta wouldn’t get the deficit beneath 5 factors the remainder of the way in which.

Dejounte Murray #5 of the Atlanta Hawks reaches for a steal against Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics during the fourth quarter of Game Six of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs at State Farm Arena on April 27, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Dejounte Murray #5 of the Atlanta Hawks reaches for a steal in opposition to Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics throughout the fourth quarter of Recreation Six of the Jap Convention First Spherical Playoffs at State Farm Area on April 27, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia.  Kevin C. Cox/Getty Pictures/AFP 

Marcus Good scored 22 factors, Malcolm Brogdon added 17 off the bench and Horford chipped in 10 for the Celtics.

“I assumed Good was great, particularly late within the fourth quarter,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla stated. “He obtained us organized after which he was form of the triggerman. They have been blitzing, he made the best performs.”

Younger, whose 38 factors in recreation 5 included a game-winning three-pointer, stated he simply couldn’t shake Good within the second half.

“Marcus was being far more aggressive,” Younger stated. “Within the second half he was extra simply related to me. They picked up the physicality. It was powerful.”

Ultimately, Hawks coach Quin Snyder stated, the Celtics have been simply an excessive amount of.

“Clearly Tatum and Brown have been a handful, which we count on,” Snyder stated. “We blitzed their choose and roll, we hit them on the dribble, hit them on the cross and after we didn’t they have been in a position to make performs. After we did, you’re inclined to the three.”

The Celtics made 18 of their 42 three-point makes an attempt, Brown draining six from past the arc and each Boston starter making no less than one trey.

Even so, Snyder stated, “we have been proper there. It’s a troublesome recreation.”

Added Younger: “You’ve simply obtained to tip your cap generally and provides credit score the place it’s due.”

The second-seeded Celtics, the very best seeds left within the East after the Miami Warmth’s upset of the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks, host the third-seeded 76ers in recreation one on Monday.

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