PHILADELPHIA — On the finish of one of many stranger video games of his profession, Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics pounded the ball towards the courtroom as the ultimate seconds elapsed. The sound of these exhausting dribbles — every a percussive thud — appeared to fill Wells Fargo Middle as 1000’s of 76ers followers tried to make sense of what had simply occurred in Recreation 6 of the Jap Convention semifinals.
How was any of it doable? How had the 76ers blown a possibility to safe their first journey to the convention finals since 2001? How had the Celtics seized on such a easy change — sliding Robert Williams into their beginning lineup — to spice up their protection? And the way had Tatum, after having spent most of his night chucking up wayward leap pictures, finally preserved his group’s season?
“For 43 minutes, I needed to hear them inform me how unhealthy I used to be,” Tatum stated of the followers. “So it form of felt good to see everyone getting out of their seats, leaving early.”
An odd collection filled with unusual video games will go the gap — as a result of why not? — after the Celtics put the clamps on the 76ers in a 95-86 victory on Thursday, forcing a Recreation 7 on Sunday in Boston.
Each groups are constructed to win now. These should not younger, overachieving franchises. The 76ers are determined to satisfy the long-awaited promise of their team-building blueprint often known as the Course of, with Joel Embiid, who not too long ago collected his first N.B.A. Most Precious Participant Award, working as their focus. The Celtics, in the meantime, have been utilizing the slogan “unfinished enterprise,” a nod to how shut they got here to successful all of it final season once they misplaced to the Golden State Warriors within the N.B.A. finals.
An early exit for both the 76ers or the Celtics — and getting bounced from the playoffs within the convention semifinals would qualify — may result in a summer season of change. A win, although, could be seismic.
“Actually, I wouldn’t need to go to Recreation 7 in Boston with some other group,” 76ers Coach Doc Rivers stated. “I do know we’re going to rally. We’ve rallied all yr lengthy on the street.”
On Thursday, Tatum rallied from his personal struggles. He missed 13 of his first 14 field-goal makes an attempt, a stretch of futility that prolonged into the fourth quarter. His teammates, he stated, continued to feed him constructive reinforcement. Hold rebounding. Hold defending. Hold passing. Hold taking pictures.
Joe Mazzulla, the Celtics’ first-year coach, went one step additional.
“I really like you,” Mazzulla recalled telling him. “That’s a reasonably highly effective assertion.”
Tatum’s first 3-pointer of the sport gave the Celtics an 84-83 lead. He sank one other one 39 seconds later. He made 4 3-pointers within the recreation’s ultimate 4:14, turning the sector right into a mausoleum. He completed with 19 factors, 9 rebounds and 6 assists.
“We depend on him,” the Celtics’ Malcolm Brogdon stated. “He’s our man. And he’s confirmed that he’s dependable in these moments. I don’t suppose there’s any doubt in anyone’s minds. It doesn’t matter what number of pictures he missed within the first three quarters. He’s going to complete the sport for us.”
Tatum, a first-team all-N.B.A. choice for the second straight season, has no scarcity of confidence. In a walk-off interview with ESPN after Thursday’s recreation, he referred to himself as “humbly, top-of-the-line basketball gamers on the planet.” It was fairly a press release after he shot 5 of 21 from the sphere.
“I feel that exhibits character that you simply name inform your self that if you’ve solely hit one shot,” he stated later, “and issues aren’t going your manner, and also you’ve received to be the identical particular person with the identical morals, the identical character whether or not you’re up or down. And I stored telling myself that. I consider in myself.”
Accordingly, Tatum gave Mazzulla a reprieve — for not less than a few days. Mazzulla, who was an assistant below Ime Udoka final season, took over because the group’s interim coach a number of days earlier than the beginning of coaching camp when the Celtics suspended Udoka for unspecified “violations of group insurance policies.” The Celtics eliminated Mazzulla’s interim tag in February and signed him to a contract extension.
However the stress on Mazzulla, 34, has solely mounted within the playoffs — and through this collection, particularly. There was Recreation 1, which the Celtics misplaced though Embiid was sidelined with a sprained knee. There was Recreation 4, which the Celtics misplaced in time beyond regulation after they pressured up a poor shot within the closing seconds. (Mazzulla later apologized to his gamers for neglecting to make use of one among his remaining timeouts.) And there was Recreation 5, which the Celtics misplaced due to a listless show of basketball that had their dwelling followers booing them.
Earlier than Recreation 6, Mazzulla made a long-overdue change by beginning Williams, a defense-minded heart, instead of Derrick White — a transfer that Marcus Good, the group’s start line guard, endorsed. Along with blocking two pictures and affecting numerous others, Williams had 10 factors and 9 rebounds.
“Joe’s studying, identical to all of us,” stated Good, who completed with 22 factors, 7 rebounds and seven assists. “I do know he’s been killed lots, rightfully so. He wanted to make some changes, and he did that, and that’s all you possibly can ask for — for him to simply proceed to be one of the best that he might be.”
Tatum described how he and Mazzulla had leaned on one another all through the season.
“I do know there’s lots of questions and doubts,” Tatum stated, “and I’ve instructed I’m lots of instances: ‘I’ve received you, I’ve received your again. We’re on this collectively.’”