Celtics, Wizards close out series, face one another
CHICAGO — Avery Bradley scored 23 points, and the hot-shooting Boston Celtics pounded the Chicago Bulls 105-83 to win their first-round series 4-2 on Friday night.
The top-seeded Celtics simply torched Chicago to finish off a tougher-thananticipated series and advance in the playoffs for the first time since 2012. Boston regrouped after dropping the first two games at home and will meet Washington in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Game 1 is Sunday.
Bradley finished one point shy of a playoff career high he set in Game 5. He nailed three 3-pointers and the Celtics hit 16 of 39 from long range.
Gerald Green scored 16 and Isaiah Thomas had 12 before heading home to Washington state for his sister Chyna’s funeral on Saturday. Her death in a car accident the day before the playoff opener dealt a blow to the Celtics. But Boston rallied around its star player and regrouped when it looked like the series might slip from reach.
WIZARDS 115, HAWKS 99
John Wall scored 42 points, Bradley Beal added 31 and Washington withstood a furious Atlanta comeback to close out the host Hawks to win the opening-round playoff series 4-2.
The Hawks fell behind by 22 points early in the third quarter before making a game of it down the stretch. But the home team never led, and Wall stymied the rally with huge plays at both ends of the court.
Wall’s block of Dennis Schroder’s layup kept the Hawks from closing within a single point, and Wall hit every big shot in the closing minutes. He scored 19 points in the fourth quarter, ensuring that Washington picked up the first road win by either team in the series.
The Wizards advanced to face top-seeded Boston in the semifinals.
Paul Millsap led the Hawks with 31 points, and Schroder had 26.
After losing three close games in Washington, the Hawks seemed to run out of steam in the return to Philips Arena, ending a disappointing season.
Washington pushed out to a double-digit lead late in the first quarter, and closed the first half on a 19-4 run to take a 65-46 lead at the break. The Hawks turned the ball over six times during that five-minute stretch, making things easy for the Wizards.
ODDS AND ENDS
Larry Bird stepped down as president of basketball operations for the Indiana Pacers, a stunningly abrupt decision that has become a hallmark of the NBA great’s post-playing career. Bird made the call Friday and general manager Kevin Pritchard will be elevated to take his place, a person with knowledge of the situation told the Associated Press. …
An Aug. 21 trial date has been set for NBA players Marcus and Markieff Morris, who allegedly assaulted a man outside a Phoenix recreation center two years ago. Then Suns teammates, Marcus was traded to the Detroit Pistons in July 2015 and Markieff now is with the Washington Wizards.