Sixers, Trail Blazers survive to force game sevens

LOS ANGELES: The Philadelphia 76ers and Portland Trail Blazers both forced game sevens in their NBA second round playoff series with a pair of bounce-back wins to stave off elimination.

Jimmy Butler scored 25 points while Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid also had spirited performances as the 76ers survived to fight another day with a 112-101 win over the Toronto Raptors in game six on Thursday.

Butler also had six rebounds and Embiid finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Sixers, who kept their season alive by squaring the best-ofseven Eastern Conference second round series at 3-3.

“I play to win,” Butler said. “Right now, this is what I have to do in order to give us a great chance at winning.”

Simmons rebounded to deliver 21 points after struggling mightily in game five with just seven points and five turnovers. His game six total was more than his combined points total of games five and four.

Franchise cornerstone Embiid, who was listed as a probable starter due to a sore knee, also got back on track after making eight turnovers in game five.

The winner-take-all contest will be tomorrow in Toronto with the victor advancing to face the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks. Game one of the Eastern Conference finals is slated for Wednesday in Milwaukee.

Tobias Harris contributed 16 points, and JJ Redick and Mike Scott had 11 each for the third-seeded Sixers, who haven’t advanced to the Eastern Conference finals since 2001, when they ousted the Bucks in seven games.

Kawhi Leonard led the second-seeded Raptors with 29 points and 12 rebounds. Pascal Siakam added 21 points, and Kyle Lowry had 13.

Elsewhere, Damian Lillard scored 17 of his 32 points in the third quarter, and the Trail Blazers forced game seven in their series with Denver with a 119-108 win. — AFP