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The 2021 NBA Playoffs saw two enticing games being played on Friday night.
Seth Curry and Tobias Harris helped the Philadelphia 76ers force a Game 7 in their NBA Eastern Conference series against the Atlanta Hawks and save their season. Meanwhile, Terance Mann led the LA Clippers to their first-ever NBA Western Conference Finals appearance with a career-best performance.
The Sixers were down by seven points in the first half and were struggling to find their rhythm in that stretch. However, they got off to a brilliant start to the second half, knocking down a flurry of threes that helped them take a 10-points lead to start the third quarter.
Meanwhile, the LA Clippers recorded one of the best comeback wins of the postseason, coming back from a 25-point deficit to eliminate the Utah Jazz from the 2021 NBA Playoffs. They were without Kawhi Leonard for the second straight game but seemed unfazed as they continued to perform and deliver as a team.
2021 NBA Playoffs: Philadelphia 76ers beat Atlanta Hawks in Game 6 (Series tied at 3-3)
The Philadelphia 76ers looked determined to stay alive in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. Despite blowing 18 and 26-point leads in the last two games, the Sixers seemed confident they could get the job done and did exactly that.
The Atlanta Hawks pulled away with a 12-point lead to start the game but couldn't hold on for too long as the Sixers eventually caught up. Both teams shot just over 40% from the floor on the night, once again imposing defense-heavy styles to limit each other.
It was an intense game physically, with the Hawks shooting 24 FTs, while the Sixers managed to get to the foul line 23 times. Joel Embiid and co. were the better side at converting those attempts, though, as they converted 16 of their free throw attempts, while the Hawks made just 13.
It proved to make a huge difference as it kept the Philadelphia 76ers in the lead after they managed to convert 15 of their 16 attempts in the second half. Meanwhile, the Hawks converted just 10 of their attempts from the free-throw line in that period.
Seth Curry and Joel Embiid caught fire in the second half, scoring 30 of their combined total of 40 points in that stretch. Meanwhile, Tobias Harris, who ended the night with 24 points, had 12 points in each half.
Trae Young, who scored 34 points on the night, helped the Hawks cut the Sixers lead to just one point (93-94) in the late stages of the game after he managed to convert an outrageous three-point shot attempt. However, Philadelphia did not lose their composure and managed to hold off Atlanta in the dying moments of the match and force yet another Game 7 in the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
Harris converted four free throw attempts in the final 13 seconds to ensure his team won the tie. Tyrese Maxey was the best player off the bench, bolstering the Philadelphia 76ers with 16 crucial points.
Final Score: Atlanta Hawks 99-104 Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers' Top Performers
- Tobias Harris 24p, 5r, 4-of-4 FT
- Seth Curry 24p, 6-of-9 3PT
- Joel Embiid 22p, 13r
Atlanta Hawks’ Top Performers
- Trae Young 34p, 12a, 3s, 5-of-10 3PT
- Kevin Huerter 17p, 11r
- Danilo Gallinari 16p, 4-4 FT
2021 NBA Playoffs: LA Clippers beat Utah Jazz in Game 6 (Clippers win series 4-2)
The LA Clippers continued to show how important the 2021 NBA Playoffs are to them and achieved their greatest NBA postseason feat so far. They overcame a 25-point deficit in Game 6 against the NBA Western Conference leaders Utah Jazz to advance to their first-ever Conference Finals appearance.
It was a remarkable achievement for the team as they were playing without their star player Kawhi Leonard, who has been their best player at both ends of the floor. Nonetheless, their squad depth and the presence of a franchise leader like Paul George helped them massively in beating Utah.
The Utah Jazz were looking dominant in the first half of the match, knocking down 12 threes on 19 attempts to take a 72-50 lead going into half-time. Donovan Mitchell and Jordan Clarkson scored a combined 43 points in that period itself, putting Utah in a comfortable position to win the tie.
Meanwhile, the LA Clippers had only converted six of their attempts as Paul George, Reggie Jackson and Marcus Morris Sr. all struggled to shoot well early on. Nonetheless, 24-year old Terance Mann kept the team in the hunt with 14 first half points, the best player for the team on the night.
The LA Clippers shifted the momentum onto their side early in the second half. They came out of the locker room with much more intensity and physicality, making defensive stops and hurting the Jazz in transition. They had 21 fast-break points compared to Utah's total of 7.
Terance Mann dropped 20 points in the third quarter on 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc and also started a 14-0 run early in the second half, which changed the course of the match. He ended with 39 points, while George and Jackson had 28 and 27 points, respectively.
Donovan Mitchell scored 39 points despite playing through an ankle injury, while Royce O'Neale and NBA Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson scored 21 points apiece for the Utah Jazz. Their inability to defend well in crucial moments and convert shots after conceding a lead was their biggest shortcoming in the match.
The LA Clippers shot a whopping 30-of-42 from the floor, including 14-of-19 from deep in the last two quarters that helped them seal the game. They outscored the Utah Jazz 81-47 in that stretch.
Final Score: Utah Jazz 119-131 LA Clippers
Utah Jazz' Top Performers
- Donovan Mitchell 39p, 9a, 9r, 9-of-15 3PT
- Royce O'Neale 21p, 10r, 4-of-6 3PT
- Jordan Clarkson 21p, 4r.
LA Clippers’ Top Performers
- Terance Mann 39p, 2s, 7-of-10 3PT
- Paul George 28p, 9r, 7a, 6-of-7 FT
- Reggie Jackson 27p, 10a, 4-4 FT
Also Read: 5 Records achieved by Trae Young in the 2021 NBA Playoffs so far
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