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Jazz, Cavs make 2nd round playoff
Atlanta— As streamers poured from the rafters at Philips Arena, Marvin Williams stood at center court with arms folded, looking defiant, even with a sore knee. Zaza Pachulia grabbed a microphone and summed up this improbable series.
"We're going to Game 7! Woooooooooo!'' Pachulia screamed.
Game 7, indeed.
Who would have believed it?
Refusing to let go of their first trip to the playoffs in nine years, the Hawks forced an improbable deciding game with the Boston Celtics when Joe Johnson hit a crucial 3-pointer with 1:07 remaining and Atlanta held on for a 103-100 victory yesterday.
The Hawks, just 37-45 during the regular season, have now beaten the Celtics three times in the space of a week to set up a deciding game in a series that was supposed to be a sweep. After all, Boston went an NBA-leading 66-16 and defeated Atlanta in all three meetings before the playoffs.
But, against all odds, the Hawks are heading to Boston for Game 7 on Sunday.
"Seven! Seven! Seven!'' chanted the record crowd of 20,425 at Philips Arena.
The Celtics are still the obvious favorite, having won all three games at their place by an average of 22 points. But the Hawks have lasted longer than anyone would have expected.
The Celtics looked as shell-shocked as anyone. Paul Pierce fouled out and spent the final minutes on the bench with a towel draped over his head, barely able to watch.
Williams led the Hawks with 18 points despite missing much of the fourth quarter with a sprained left knee.
Kevin Garnett had 22 for the Celtics and Ray Allen added 20, but Pierce - the other member of Boston's Big Three - fouled out on a disputed call with 4:44 remaining.
The Celtics had a chance after pounding the boards for five chances on one possession before Kendrick Perkins was hacked by Al Horford. Perkins made both free throws with 1:32 left to pull Boston within 97-95.
Johnson, who went to the final period with just seven points on 3-of-9 shooting, came alive in the fourth. He saved his biggest shot for the end, getting James Posey in the air with a pump fake before hitting Atlanta's only 3-pointer of the game to make it 100-95.
Cavs 105, Wizards 88
In Washington, LeBron James compiled 27 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists for his third career playoff triple-double, giving Cleveland a 4-2 series victory and a place in the second round.
Wally Szczerbiak added a career playoff-best 26 points and reserve Daniel Gibson had 22, combining for 10 of Cleveland’s 11 3-pointers.
James also picked up a technical foul, one of three called in a fittingly rough finale to a series that featured plenty of trash talk, hard fouls, one ejection and one suspension — Washington’s Darius Songaila was barred from Friday’s game for hitting James in the face in Game 5.
Caron Butler finished with 18 points and nine rebounds for the Cavaliers.
Jazz 113 91
Rockets 91
In Salt Lake City, Utah beat Houston to win the series 4-2 and knock the Rockets out of the playoffs in the opening round for the second straight year.
Deron Williams scored 13 of his 25 points in the decisive third quarter for the Jazz, who were determined to avoid a Game 7 in Houston, site of their embarrassing 95-69 loss in Game 5. Instead, the Jazz are headed to Los Angeles and open the second round against the Lakers on Sunday. AP
