The series shifted back to Philadelphia where the 76ers looked to stay alive. Philadelphia fans were ready and loud all night long. Boston led the series 3-2 and just like game four it would start off close.
Joel Embiid would get the scoring started for the 76ers with a turnaround jumper. Embiid would go right at Neemias Queta to get the and-one to fall. Jayson Tatum responded with his own and-one, but missed the free throw. Tyrese Maxey and Paul George would make back-to-back threes for the Sixers. Sam Hauser gave the Celtics the lead after a wing three with time winding down. Boston led 23-20 at the end of the first quarter.
Jaylen Brown hit a tough pull jumper from the foul line at the beginning of the second quarter. VJ Edgecombe would turn on the speed and throw down a vicious slam. George and Brown would trade threes. George faked the Embiid screen and hit a stepback three over Tatum in the corner. Payton Pritchard and Maxey would both have tough finishes inside before halftime. Philly led 58-49 at halftime. They outscored the Celtics 38-26 in the second.
George stepped into a three to begin the third quarter. This sequence would be the highlight of the game and brought the Philly crowd to their feet. It started with an Embiid behind the back pass to Kelly Oubre Jr. for the dunk. Oubre Jr. would then block Brown, Maxey picked it up and gave it to George who threw a behind-the-back to Edgecombe for the two-handed hammer that forced a Celtics timeout. Derrick White made a three right out of the timeout. Paul George made back-to-back baseline jumpers. Maxey drove right at Nikola Vucevic and made the scoop layup that gave Philly their largest lead at 21.
In the third quarter, Jayson Tatum left with a calf injury and did not return the rest of the game. Philly led 82-63 entering the fourth quarter. Pritchard had an open lane for the layup that began the quarter. Embiid faked a jumper and found George for the reverse layup that forced a Boston timeout. The Celtics went on an 11-0 run that cut the lead to 12. Edgecombe went right to the basket and finished the and-one against Baylor Scheierman. Philadelphia won 106-93 and forced a game seven.
Maxey led the way for the Sixers with 30 points and George was second in scoring with 23 points. Embiid had a near triple-double with 19 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. After an early night, Tatum had 17 points and 11 rebounds. Brown added 18 points.
This was the second straight game Philly held the Celtics to under 100 points. During the regular season, Boston was the second rated offense in the league.
The series is now tied 3-3. Game seven is this Saturday May 2 at 7:30 p.m.
