Embiid Scores 33 as Sixers Force Game 6 — Nba Playoff Bracket

Joel Embiid scored 33 points and the Sixers kept their nba playoff bracket alive with a 113-97 win over the Celtics on Tuesday night at TD Garden. Philadelphia now trails 3-2 and gets Game 6 in Philadelphia on Thursday night.

Embiid and Maxey Set the Pace

The Sixers needed a response after losing Game 4, and Embiid delivered it with eight assists to go with his 33 points. Tyrese Maxey added 25 points and 10 rebounds, while Paul George supplied 16 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

George opened the game with two three-pointers that helped Philadelphia jump to an 8-2 lead. Boston managed just six points in the first six minutes, and the Sixers held the upper hand from there.

Boston Could Not Catch Up

The Celtics never found a clean early answer from deep. Boston missed 11 of its first 12 three-point attempts, while Philadelphia made only three of 13 threes in the opening quarter and still controlled the game.

Jayson Tatum finished with 24 points and 16 rebounds, and Jaylen Brown added 22 points, but Boston could not close the gap enough to prevent the series from shifting back to Philadelphia. The margin grew as Quentin Grimes scored 18 points on 5-for-8 shooting and hit a four-point play in the first half.

Philadelphia Returns Home

Nick Nurse had said before the game that his players needed to do the effort side of things and the tough, grind it out things much better. Philadelphia delivered enough of that edge to avoid elimination and force a return trip home with the series still within reach.

Embiid put it plainly after the win: "You obviously don’t want to go home, so you’ve got to do whatever it takes," and the Sixers did exactly that. Game 6 now moves to Philadelphia with the Celtics still holding the 3-2 series lead.