Celtics take 3-2 lead against Bulls
Thomas, Bradley score 24 apiece in Boston’s victory.
Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley scored 24 points apiece to help the Boston Celtics beat the Chicago Bulls 108-97 on Wednesday night and take a 3-2 lead in their first-round playoff series.
After the road team won each of the first four games, the Celtics won at home in Game 5 to earn a chance to eliminate the Bulls on Friday night in Chicago. A Bulls victory would force the series back to Boston for a decisive Game 7 on Sunday.
D wy a n e Wade h a d 2 6 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists for Chicago.
But Wade and Robin Lopez were c alled for technic al fouls 32 seconds apart with just under five minutes left, helping the Celtics to a 20-5 run that gave them a 10489 lead.
Wizards 103, Hawks 99: B r a d l e y B e a l s c o r e d 2 7 points and John Wall added 20 points and 14 assists as host Washington defeated Atlanta for a 3-2 lead in the first-round series.
Dennis Schroder led the Hawks with 29 points, making a career high-tying five 3s, and 11 assists. But after his 3-pointer pulled Atlanta within 101-99 with 1:10 left, Wall responded with a 21-foot pull-up jumper.
The Wizards will attempt to close out the series Friday in Atlanta. The host has won every game so far.
The Wizards won 30 games at home during the regular season, the second-most in the Eastern Conference, and have won six consecu- tive first-round home playoff games.
In a series that has been filled with plenty of physical play, referee whistles and smack talk, there were fouls galore in stretches once again.
Dwight Howard and Millsap both had three fouls at the half. Then Howard exited after picking up his fourth foul with 2½ minutes left in the third quarter. His fifth arrived on an offensive foul off the ball with 8½ minutes to go.
Washington stretched out a one-point halftime edge to 69-58 on Wall’s 3-pointer, before the Hawks responded. Tim Hardaway Jr. delivered eight of his 15 points in an 11-0 run that tied it at 69.
The Wiz a rd s l e d 83-7 9 entering the final quarter.
Late Tuesday
Jazz 9 6, Clippers 92: Gordon Hayward scored 27 points as visiting Utah beat Los Angeles for a 3-2 lead in the first-round series.
The Jazz made five 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, including three by Rodney Hood, who had 16 points.
Utah can clinch the series with a victory in Game 6 on Friday night in Salt Lake City.
Owner fined $100K
Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander was fined $100,000 by the NBA for confronting a referee during live game action.
The inc ident occurred Tuesday in the final minute of the first quarter during the Rockets’ 105-99 victory over Oklahoma City. Alexander got up out of his courtside seat and walked toward Bill Kennedy. Alexander said something to Kennedy before returning to his seat.