By William Armstead
The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Boston Celtics by a score of 106-93 in Game 6 of their first-round series. The Sixers have stormed back after being down 3-1 and facing elimination twice. The decisive game will take place in Boston on Saturday.
Tyrese Maxey scored 30, Paul George was second in scoring with 23, and Joel Embiid recorded a double-double, which led to the Sixers’ decisive win. All starters had double-digit points, reflecting the balanced scoring effort across the team.
With a win on Saturday, the Sixers would be the first team in 67 years to win a playoff series after losing two games by 30+ points.
The Celtics top scorers were Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown once again. Tatum recorded 17 points and Brown 18.
Tatum was forced to exit the contest in the third quarter to treat an apparent calf injury. The severity is unclear, and the Celtics will need Tatum healthy for the Game 7 showdown. Brown found himself in foul trouble early, with three in the first half.
The Sixers had a 19-point lead going into the fourth quarter and never looked back.
On Saturday, it will be either the Sixers advancing after a 3-1 deficit or the Celtics surviving a comeback scare to advance. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m., streaming on Peacock and NBC.