Andre Iguodala and Evan Turner hopped on the scorer’s table and played to the crowd as the catchy 76ers theme song blared in their home arena. Eight years of going home empty was over. The Sixers were ready for a long overdue postseason celebration.
Iguodala made the go-ahead free throws with 2.2 seconds left, and Philadelphia rallied for a 79-78 victory over top-seeded Chicago in Game 6 on Thursday night, advancing to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2003.
Omar Asik missed two free throws for the Bulls with 7 seconds left that would have sealed the win. Iguodala grabbed the second miss, sprinted the length of the court, and was fouled by Asik on the driving layup. He made both and 20,362 fans went absolutely wild.
The Sixers are the fifth No. 8 seed to win a first-round series against a No. 1 seed. Memphis eliminated San Antonio last season, and the Warriors (2007), New York (1999) and Denver (1994) also pulled off the feat.
In his second season, coach Doug Collins had already led the Sixers to their first winning season in seven years. Now, it’s on to the second round for the first time since Allen Iverson was an All-Star.
“I don’t know how we won this game,” Collins said.
The Sixers were 2.2 seconds from playing Game 7 in Chicago. Now, they will pack their bags for a date with the Celtics in the second round.
Iguodala scored 20 points, and Jrue Holiday and Lou Williams each scored 14. The Sixers won even though the Bulls crushed them 56-33 on the boards.
Iguodala snagged the one that mattered.
“We win on a rebound. Something we don’t get all night,” a smiling Collins said.
Iguodala made 9 of 10 free throws in the fourth quarter in this series after shooting just 45 percent (23-for-51) from the line in the period this season.
“I just wanted it for Dre so badly,” Collins said.
Luol Deng had 19 points and 17 rebounds for the Bulls. Richard Hamilton scored 19 points, and Carlos Boozer grabbed 13 rebounds.
Celtics 83, Hawks 80:
Kevin Garnett had 28 points and 14 rebounds, hitting a jumper to give Boston the lead with 31 seconds left, and the host Celtics won to advance to the second round for the fifth straight year. … Paul Pierce had 18 points, seven assists and five rebounds for Boston despite playing with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. … Josh Smith had 19 points and nine rebounds, and Al Horford had 15 points and nine rebounds for Atlanta.
Harden is top 6th man:
Oklahoma City’s James Harden has been named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year after leading all bench players in scoring this season. … Harden averaged 16.8 points on career-best 49 percent shooting and recorded his first career 40-point game last month in a win at Phoenix.
Briefly:
Patrick Ewing is one of several candidates the Bobcats will interview for their head-coaching vacancy, and the Hall of Fame center will meet with team officials next week, sources said. … The Trail Blazers say forward LaMarcus Aldridge had surgery on his right hip. The arthroscopic procedure repaired a slight labral tear. Aldridge was bothered by the injury late in the season and missed the Blazers’ final eight games.
Nuggets rip Lakers, force Game 7
DENVER – Ty Lawson scored 32 points, fellow sparkplug Corey Brewer added 18, and the host Nuggets forced a Game 7 in their first-round playoff series with a dominating 113-96 win over the Lakers on Thursday night.
The free-wheeling Nuggets are one win from running the lumbering Lakers out of the playoffs. Game 7 is Saturday night at the Staples Center.
This will be the Nuggets’ first all-or-nothing playoff game since losing to Utah in Game 7 of the 1994 conference semifinals.
Kobe Bryant followed his 43-point outburst in Game 5 with 31 points in 3 1/2 quarters despite a sour stomach that prevented him from attending the morning shootaround and forced him to take intravenous fluids. He sat for good with Los Angeles down 101-73 with 7:52 left.
Bryant finished the first half with 19 points, but he started slowly, as did the Lakers, who trailed 13-0 before Bryant scored more than 3 1/2 minutes into the game.
While the Lakers missed their first six shots, the Nuggets quickly set the tone. Lawson hit all four of his three-point shots as the Nuggets raced to a 23-8 lead.
Associated Press
This article appeared on page B – 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle