Wizards 115, Hawks 99:
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-than-anticipated 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. John Wall scored 42 points, Bradley Beal added 31 and visiting Washington withstood Atlanta’s comeback to win the opening-round playoff series 4-2.
The Hawks fell behind by 22 early in the third quarter before making a game of it down the stretch. But the home team never led.
Wall’s block of Dennis Schroder’s layup kept the Hawks from closing within a point, and he hit every big shot in the closing minutes. He had 19 points in the fourth quarter, ensuring that Washington earned the first road victory in the series.
The Wizards advanced to face Boston in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Larry Bird started the week by driving an IndyCar down Fifth Avenue in Manhattan to stump for the NBA’s AllStar weekend returning to Indiana.
He ended it by stepping down as president of basketball operations for the 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 take his place, a person with knowledge of the situation said. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the move, which was first reported by Yahoo Sports.
Bird leaves the Pacers ahead of a pivotal summer in which the franchise will have to decide what to do with star forward Paul George. He can become a free agent after next season, and there is wide speculation he wants to play for the Los Angeles Lakers. The Pacers will have to decide whether to try to persuade him to stay longterm or trade him.
Spurs 103, Grizzlies 96:
Kawhi Leonard scored 29 points as visiting San Antonio advanced to the West semifinals by defeating Memphis and winning the first-round series 4-2.
Tony Parker added 27 points, while LaMarcus Aldridge had 17 points and 12 rebounds.
The Spurs’ series against Houston opens Monday night in San Antonio.