Gordon Hayward on Sunday scored a team-high 20 points as the Boston Celtics defeated the Indiana Pacers 110-106 to complete a first-round NBA playoff sweep.
The Celtics captured their first best-of-seven series sweep since 2011 and advanced to a second-round matchup with either the Milwaukee Bucks or the Detroit Pistons.
The Bucks, who had the NBA’s best regular-season record, own a 3-0 series edge on Detroit and could complete a sweep of their own yesterday.
Photo: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY
Hayward came off the bench to lead seven double-figure scorers, hitting seven-of-nine shots from the floor and all three three-pointers.
“It was a scrappy series, defensive series, physical series,” Hayward said. “Proud of our team for fighting. We fought through it. It was a great team win.”
The Celtics led 73-72 entering the fourth quarter, but the Pacers had taken an 82-80 edge when Boston unleashed a critical 15-3 run to seize command.
Hayward had a three-point play and a three-pointer in the run, while Tatum added a dunk and three free throws for the Celtics, who jumped ahead 95-85 with three minutes, 32 seconds to play.
Warriors 113, Clippers 105
Kevin Durant scored 33 points as the visiting Golden State Warriors held on to beat the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 4 of a Western Conference first-round series. After winning both games in Los Angeles, the Warriors own a 3-1 series lead heading to Game 5 on tomorrow in Oakland, California.
Klay Thompson scored 27 of his 32 points in the first half for the Warriors. Stephen Curry went three-for-14, including one-of-nine from three-point range, to finish with 12 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a season-high 25 points for the Clippers.
Raptors 107, Magic 85
Kawhi Leonard scored 34 points — 12 in the third quarter — as the visiting Toronto Raptors defeated the Orlando Magic to take a 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series. The Raptors can clinch the best-of-seven series tomorrow by winning Game 5 in Toronto.
Pascal Siakam added 16 points for Toronto and Norman Powell had 16 points, while Serge Ibaka had 13 points and eight rebounds, and Kyle Lowry contributed nine points and nine assists.
Aaron Gordon scored 25 points and had seven rebounds for the Magic. Evan Fournier added 19 points, as Nikola Vucevic scored 11.
Trail Blazers 111, Thunder 98
Boosted by 27 points from C.J. McCollum and 24 from Damian Lillard, the visiting Portland Trail Blazers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-98.
The win gave the Trail Blazers a 3-1 lead in their playoff series. Portland have a chance tomorrow to finish off the series at home.
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