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Celtics hold off Hawks to advance in NBA playoffs

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Agence France-Presse

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style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"> </div></div><div style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CrkFhAItpRv/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by Boston Celtics (@celtics)</a></div></div></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>(<strong>UPDATED</strong>) Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum combined for 62 points and the Boston Celtics clamped down late to hold off the Atlanta Hawks in a 128-120 thriller on Thursday to win their NBA Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.</p><p>The Celtics, trying to get back to the NBA Finals after falling last season to the Golden State Warriors, won the best-of-seven series, 4-2, to line up a conference semi-final showdown with a Philadelphia 76ers team led by Joel Embiid and James Harden.</p><p>Trae Young, hero of the Hawks&#x27; 119-117 come-from-behind victory in Game 5 that extended the series on Tuesday, scored 30 points with 10 assists.</p><p>But Young ran out of gas in the second half, scoring just five points after the break and finishing the game nine-for-28 from the field.</p><p>Brown scored 32 points and Tatum had 30 for the Celtics, who used an 11-0 run in the fourth quarter to finally take control of a game that featured 22 lead changes and was tied 15 times.</p><p>&quot;I think in that fourth quarter, four minutes left, we made winning plays,&quot; Tatum told broadcaster TNT. &quot;We talked about it before the game -- do whatever it takes.&quot;</p><p>The lead changed hands seven times in the fourth quarter alone. Former Hawk Al Horford put the Celtics up for good with a three-pointer with 3:35 remaining.</p><p>Tatum followed with another three-pointer, Brown produced a block and Tatum slammed home a Horford miss to cap the 11-0 run that had the Celtics up by eight with 2:07 to play.</p><p>Atlanta wouldn&#x27;t get the deficit below five points the rest of the way.</p><p>Marcus Smart scored 22 points, Malcolm Brogdon added 17 off the bench and Horford chipped in 10 for the Celtics.</p><p>&quot;I thought Smart was tremendous, especially late in the fourth quarter,&quot; Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. &quot;He got us organized and then he was kind of the triggerman. They were blitzing, he made the right plays.&quot;</p><p>Young, whose 38 points in Game 5 included a game-winning three-pointer, said he just couldn&#x27;t shake Smart in the second half.</p><p>&quot;Marcus was being way more aggressive,&quot; Young said. &quot;In the second half he was more just connected to me. They picked up the physicality. It was tough.&quot;</p><p>In the end, Hawks coach Quin Snyder said, the Celtics were just too much.</p><p>&quot;Obviously Tatum and Brown were a handful, which we expect,&quot; Snyder said. &quot;We blitzed their pick and roll, we hit them on the dribble, hit them on the pass and when we didn&#x27;t they were able to make plays. When we did, you&#x27;re susceptible to the three.&quot;</p><p>The Celtics made 18 of their 42 three-point attempts, Brown draining six from beyond the arc and every Boston starter making at least one trey.</p><p>Even so, Snyder said, &quot;we were right there. It&#x27;s a tough game.&quot;</p><p>Added Young: &quot;You&#x27;ve just got to tip your cap sometimes and give credit where it&#x27;s due.&quot;</p><p>The second-seeded Celtics, the highest seeds left in the East after the Miami Heat&#x27;s upset of the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks, host the third-seeded 76ers in game one on Monday.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong><br/> </div>

Jaylen Brown scored 32 points and Jayson Tatum added 30 as the Boston Celtics held off the Atlanta Hawks in a 128-120 thriller on Thursday to win their NBA Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.