NBA: Celtics squeeze past Atlanta, finish series in six 83-80

The Boston Celtics finished off a determined Atlanta Hawks Thursday (Friday morning, Manila time), 83-80, to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Celtics will meet the Philadelphia 76ers, who ousted the Chicago Bulls also in six games.

 

Atlanta looked ready to force a Game 7 early, outscoring Boston 23-20 in the first quarter. In the second, Boston countered, as Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnet scored 18 points to give the Celtics a 47-41 lead at the half.

 

The Hawks barely edged the Celtics in the third, scoring 22 to the home team's 20. In the fourth, neither team was able to stretch the lead. Down 79-81 with 3.9 seconds remaining, Paul Pierce blocked a Marvin Williams layup. But the Hawks got the offensive rebound and sued for time to set up a last play. With 2.3 seconds remaining, Marquis Daniels placed Al Horford on the line. Horford missed the first but made the second, as Atlanta found themselves only down one with 2.3 seconds remaining. Paul Pierce drew a foul from Marvin Williams with 1.3 seconds left, where the 2008 NBA Finals MVP calmly sank both for the final score, 83-80. — Reneé Fopalan/RSJ, GMA News