2012 NBA Playoffs

Playmaker Jrue Holiday heeded the call from coach Doug Collins to shoot more, instead of looking to pass more often.

Limited to just six attempts in Game 5, Holiday exploded for 20 points to lead the Philadelphia 76ers past the Boston Celtics, 82-75, to tie their Eastern Conference semifinal series, 3-3.

Holiday scored eight points in the fourth quarter, including two free throws in the last 31 seconds to weather the Celtics final attack and force a deciding game Saturday at Boston.

Boston closed to within 75-80, after back-to-back triples by Ray Allen and Paul Pierce but was forced to foul Holiday, who calmly sank his free throws to drive the final nail in the coffin.

Earlier, Collins asked Holiday, Philadelphia's leading scorer in the playoff with an 18.2 points per game output, to create more shooting opportunities for himself.

"He's our leading scorer," Collins told the Philadelphia Inquirer after a team film session. "I've got to have him in the mode of looking to shoot the ball."

"He knows I need him to think score because we bleed sometimes out there to get a hoop. I need him to get to that basket," he added.

Three other Philadelphia starters scored in double digits. Elton Brand had 12 points and added 10 rebounds while Andre Igoudala and Evan Turner contributed 12 apiece.

Paul Pierce led Boston with 24 points and 10 rebounds while Kevin Garnett had 20 points and 11 caroms but they were the Celtics starters scoring in double digits.

Rajon Rondo came into the game with a 14.6 assists per outing average but he managed only six and scored just nine points on 4-of-14 shooting. Ray Allen matched the point guard's scoring output for the Celtics.

After a career playoff game that netted him 27 points, Brandon Bass just scored eight points on 2-of-12 shooting.

Overall, the Celtics just shot 33 percent from the field and committed 17 turnovers.

 

 

Sixers Force Celtics to Winner-Take-All Game Seven