2023-05-12 05:38:55
Die Boston Celtics have in the playoffs of the North American Basketball League NBA against the Philadelphia 76ers forced a seventh game. The first semi-finalists are the Denver Nuggets after their triumph over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday (05/11/2023/local time)
The Celtics led 96-86 for much of the game, but fell five points behind late in the third quarter.
They didn’t let that faze them and could count on Jayson Tatum in particular, who scored 16 of his 19 points in the final quarter and spoiled the fun of the ’76 fans in Philadelphia. The decisive game in the semi-final series of the Eastern Conference takes place in Boston on Sunday.
Tatum: “I’m one of the best basketball player of the world”
“I’m one of the best basketball players in the world. I have ups and downs and sometimes stumble, but it’s a long game and they have to trust me.”said Tatum of his confidence in the final minutes despite just one goal in 14 attempts. “They had a good run. We knew the season was at stake. We had to find a way, whatever that way was.”he said.
The Celtics’ best pitcher was Marcus Smart with 22 points. In the 76ers, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey each had 26 points, James Harden recorded 13 points.
Nuggets with a clear victory over the Suns
As the first team to enter the Conference Finals and thus into the NBA semifinals Denver Nuggets done perfectly. In game six of the series, the nuggets outclassed the high trades Phoenix Suns with 125:100 and thus got the necessary fourth win in the best-of-seven series.
The Suns only managed two wins, in front of their own spectators the team around Kevin Durant and Devin Booker was 32 points behind and was particularly disappointing in the first half.
Now against the Lakers or the Warriors
“We had the same attitude as at home, playing aggressively and throwing”, said Denver star Nikola Jokic. As in 2019/2020, the Nuggets are in the final of the Western Conference and can continue to hope for the first championship in their history.
Next opponents are either the Los Angeles Lakers around LeBron James and national team captain Dennis Schröder or the Golden State Warriors. In the duel between record champions and defending champions, the Lakers lead 3-2 before game six on Saturday night.
Jokic klar besser as Durant
In the decisive game in Phoenix, Nikola Jokic was again better than either Durant or Booker on the other side. The Serb recorded 32 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists, plus one block and 3 stolen balls. Durant ended the game with 23 points, Booker had 12. The best Suns pitcher was Cameron Payne with 31 points. As in the previous games, the Suns missed Chris Paul.
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