Jayson Tatum helps Celtics force Game 7 against 76ers

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Jayson Tatum missed his first six 3-pointers before he drilled two straight clutch ones late in the game that pushed the Celtics past the Philadelphia 76ers 95-86 on Thursday night to send the Eastern Conference semifinals back to Boston for Game 7.

The defending conference champs are in familiar territory. Boston trailed 3-2 last season in the second round against Milwaukee before it won Game 6 on the road and the clincher at home.

Game 7 is Sunday.

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Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown (7) drives to the basket between Philadelphia 76ers' Tobias Harris (12) and Tyrese Maxey during the first half of Game 6 of an NBA basketball playoffs Eastern Conference semifinal, Thursday, May 11, 2023, in Philadelphia.  (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Tatum, who averaged 30.1 points in the regular season, never stopped shooting even as the misses kept coming. He missed 14 of his first 15 shots overall from the floor and his ineffectiveness was a key reason the Celtics couldn’t hold a 16-point lead.

With a shot at their first conference final since 2001 at stake, the Sixers slogged through the first half before Joel Embiid flashed his MVP form and rallied the Sixers to a fourth-quarter lead.

Tyrese Maxey hit two free throws with 5:25 left for an 83-81 edge.

And that was it for Philly.

Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid reacts after a foul against teammate Tyrese Maxey during the second half of Game 6 of the team's NBA basketball playoffs Eastern Conference semifinal against the Boston Celtics, Thursday, May 11, 2023, in Philadelphia.  (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

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