NBA PLAYOFFS Jayson Tatum comes up clutch as Boston Celtics beat Philadelphia 76ers to force Game 7

Thanks to Jayson Tatum's clutch heroics, the Boston Celtics have forced Game 7 against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Boston Celtics defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 95-86 in the early hours of Friday, May 12, tying their Eastern Conference semifinal series at three wins apiece. In the final 4:14 of the fourth quarter, Jayson Tatum hit four 3-pointers. He was 0-for-14 in the first quarter but returned to finish with 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists on 5-of-21 shooting. Marcus Smart led the Celtics with 22 points, while Jaylen Brown added 17. Al Horford had 11 rebounds, Robert Williams had 10 points and 9 rebounds, while Malcolm Brogdon contributed 16 points. James Harden scored 13 points and had nine assists, while Joel Embiid scored 26 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and blocked three shots.The Sixers, who haven't made it to the Eastern Conference finals since 2001, were boosted by the addition of 26 points from Tyrese Maxey. Philadelphia has fallen to Boston in the postseason five times since 1982 and is searching for its first playoff series triumph against the Celtics since that time. For the majority of the first half, the Celtics had a double-digit advantage, but just after halftime, the Sixers rallied in front of a rowdy crowd. Later in the third quarter, the game became more competitive, and until Tatum and the Celtics' late-game push, neither team was able to lead by more than two points.