Sixers, Warriors gain second round
PHILADELPHIA — Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons shined again as the dominant duo ushered the Philadelphia 76ers into the second round of the playoffs with a 104-91 win over the Miami Heat on Tuesday.
The 76ers, winners of 10 games just two seasons ago, are in the second round of the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs for the first time since 2012.
They await the winner of Milwaukee-Boston. The Celtics lead the series 3-2.
The Sixers won the series 4-1 and turned the Wells Fargo Center into the wildest house party in the city.
Embiid had 19 points and 12 rebounds, Simmons had 14 points and 10 boards, and the entire team had rappers, politicians, actors and kids dancing along for the ride.
The Sixers will have plenty of time to rest and recover — Embiid again played in a black mask to guard a face injury — with the other Eastern Conference playoff series expected to stretch into the weekend.
The Sixers outscored the Heat by 14 in the third quarter to snap a tie game.
Goran Dragic was whistled for a technical after slapping Simmons on the back of his head, and that got the crowd howling early in the third. Simmons kept his cool — the rookie is rarely rattled — and made the Heat pay. J.J. Redick sank the free throw off the technical, and Simmons kicked the ball out to Robert Covington on the possession for a 3 and a 54-48 lead. Redick followed with his third 3.
Redick, who scored 27 points, sank the dagger late in the fourth that sent confetti flying, team flags waving and put a latenight celebration on deck.
WARRIORS 99, SPURS 91
In Oakland, Calif., Kevin Durant had 25 points and Klay Thompson added 24 as Golden State eliminated San Antonio four games to one in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series.
LaMarcus Aldridge led the Spurs with 30 points and 12 rebounds.
CELTICS 92, BUCKS 87
Al Horford had 22 points and 14 rebounds, Marcus Smart made an impact in his first game since mid-March, and Boston beat visiting Milwaukee for a 3-2 lead in their first-round playoff series.
Smart came off the bench and had nine points, five rebounds, four assists and three blocks in his first game since undergoing right thumb surgery. He played 25 minutes wearing a protective splint and had a key assist late from a scrum beneath three Milwaukee players.
Terry Rozier added 16 points and five assists for Boston. The home team has won all five games in the first-round series, and Game 6 is Thursday in Milwaukee.
Khris Middleton led the Bucks with 23 points, Jabari Parker added 17 points and eight rebounds, and Giannis Antetokounmpo had a series-low 16 points with 10 rebounds and nine assists.
The Celtics led by 16 before Milwaukee rallied to make it 74-70 with 7:33 left. Middleton scored later and was fouled to get Milwaukee within 84-79, but he failed to complete the three-point play.
A few possessions later, Smart managed to squeeze out a pass to Horford with three Bucks draped over him, and Horford easily dropped in a layup to make it 8679 with 28.1 seconds left.