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Celtics, 76ers advance, Nuggets top Lakers
Source: Agencies |
May 12, 2012, Saturday
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THE Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics savored playoff joy on Thursday as they advanced with last-gasp wins to close out their first-round series 4-2, while the Denver Nuggets avoided elimination by the Los Angeles Lakers.
The 76ers edged the injury-hit Chicago Bulls 79-78 to reach the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time in nine years, and will next meet the Celtics who battled past the Atlanta Hawks 83-80 after finishing with a commanding 7-1 run.
The Nuggets, however, kept their playoff hopes alive with a 113-96 home victory over the Lakers whose top player, All-Star guard Kobe Bryant, was hampered by a stomach ailment.
Sixth-seeded Denver, which had previously trailed 1-3, leveled the best-of-seven series at 3-3 and will return to Los Angeles for Game 7 tomorrow.
In Philadelphia, with just 2.2 seconds remaining, Andre Iguodala kept his cool to score with two free throws and then blocked a three-point attempt by guard C.J. Watson for the 76ers to clinch the series.
Iguodala finished with 20 points while guards Jrue Holiday and Louis Williams each contributed 14 as eighth-seeded Philadelphia booked its place in the next round. Luol Deng and Richard Hamilton both weighed in with 19 points for the top-seeded Bulls who were without the injured MVP Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah.
"I don't know how we won this game," 76ers coach Doug Collins said after his team triumphed despite having been outshot by the Bulls and out-rebounded 49-43.
"Dre (Iguodala) has gone through a lot here and I told him after the game that no one deserves more than him to have this moment."
The Bulls trailed the 76ers 40-48 at halftime but, with Deng and Hamilton each beginning to play a hot hand, they clawed their way back to tie the score at 63-63 going into the final quarter.
Desperately striving to avoid elimination, Chicago then went ahead 70-65 but Philadelphia refused to buckle on its home court.
A driving layup by Thaddeus Young helped the 76ers cut the deficit to 77-78 with seven seconds remaining before Chicago center Omer Asik missed two free throws which would have given his team welcome breathing room.
The 76ers edged the injury-hit Chicago Bulls 79-78 to reach the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time in nine years, and will next meet the Celtics who battled past the Atlanta Hawks 83-80 after finishing with a commanding 7-1 run.
The Nuggets, however, kept their playoff hopes alive with a 113-96 home victory over the Lakers whose top player, All-Star guard Kobe Bryant, was hampered by a stomach ailment.
Sixth-seeded Denver, which had previously trailed 1-3, leveled the best-of-seven series at 3-3 and will return to Los Angeles for Game 7 tomorrow.
In Philadelphia, with just 2.2 seconds remaining, Andre Iguodala kept his cool to score with two free throws and then blocked a three-point attempt by guard C.J. Watson for the 76ers to clinch the series.
Iguodala finished with 20 points while guards Jrue Holiday and Louis Williams each contributed 14 as eighth-seeded Philadelphia booked its place in the next round. Luol Deng and Richard Hamilton both weighed in with 19 points for the top-seeded Bulls who were without the injured MVP Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah.
"I don't know how we won this game," 76ers coach Doug Collins said after his team triumphed despite having been outshot by the Bulls and out-rebounded 49-43.
"Dre (Iguodala) has gone through a lot here and I told him after the game that no one deserves more than him to have this moment."
The Bulls trailed the 76ers 40-48 at halftime but, with Deng and Hamilton each beginning to play a hot hand, they clawed their way back to tie the score at 63-63 going into the final quarter.
Desperately striving to avoid elimination, Chicago then went ahead 70-65 but Philadelphia refused to buckle on its home court.
A driving layup by Thaddeus Young helped the 76ers cut the deficit to 77-78 with seven seconds remaining before Chicago center Omer Asik missed two free throws which would have given his team welcome breathing room.
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