The Atlanta Hawks were able to keep their season alive with hard fought 88-87 win over the Boston Celtics at home in Game 5. Boston will take a 3-2 series lead back home for Game 6 on Thursday. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 EST and will be televised nationally on TNT. While the Hawks are the team trying to avoid elimination, you can’t over look the importance of this game for the Celtics. If Boston isn’t able to finish off the Hawks on their home floor, they would have to go back to Atlanta for Game 7 on Saturday.
The Chicago Bulls fought off elimination with a 77-69 win at home in Game 5. The series shifts back to Philadelphia for a critical Game 6 on Thursday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 EST and will be broadcasted on NBA TV. With a win the 76ers will become just the fifth No. 8 seed to knock off a No. 1 seed in the first round. Philadelphia took command of the series with 2 wins at home in games 3 and 4, but those efforts could go to waste if they aren’t able to finish off Chicago in Game 6. A loss would all the sudden give the Bulls the edge with Game 7 back in Chicago.
The Los Angeles Lakers had the opportunity to finish off the Denver Nuggets at home in Game 5, but the Nuggets held on for a 102-99 win to force a Game 6 in Denver on Thursday. Tip-off for that game is scheduled for 10:30 EST and will be broadcasted nationally on TNT. This has all the sudden became a series that could go down to the final game. While the Lakers were able to win 92-88 at Denver in Game 4, the Nuggets easily won game 3 at home 99-84 If the Nuggets are able to come away with another win at the Pepsi Center, the series will head back to L. A. for Game 7 on Saturday.
The New York Knicks were able to fight off elimination. The Knicks won Game 4 89-87 at home. The Heat will try to close out the series at home, as the two teams head back to Miami for Game 5 on Wednesday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 EST and will be televised nationally on TNT.
The Philadelphia 76ers 89-82 win in Game 4, has the No. 1 seed Chicago Bulls on the edge of elimination. The 76ers hold a 3-1 series lead as the 2 teams return to Chicago for Game 5 on Tuesday. Tip-off for that game is scheduled for 9:30 EST and will be broadcasted on NBA TV. The 76ers have won 3 straight since the Bulls opened up the series with 103-91 win at home, but a big reason for that has been the horrible injury to Derrick Rose.