PHILADELPHIA– Honestly, who saw this coming? Those two storied rivals, the Sixers and Celtics, had waged playoff war for two games up in Boston, with literally nothing foreshadowing what happened here Wednesday night. The Celts had rallied from 10 points down in the 4th quarter of Game 1 to pull out a one-point victory. Philadelphia had countered in Game 2 by hitting their last five shots from the field and going 6-for-6 at the line in the last 12 seconds to also win
PHILADELPHIA—Rick and Ilsa of “Casablanca’’ fame will always have Paris…. and Andre Iguodala, a child scorned around these parts for years by fans who often wish he still wasn’t here, will always have the two free throws that sent the Philadelphia 76ers to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2003. It will be a moment in time not soon forgotten. “Andre’s struggled all year at the foul line,’’ said jubilant Sixers coach Doug Collins, holding his grandson on
PHILADELPHIA—First off, this isn’t hockey. The No. 8 just seed isn’t supposed to beat No. 1—the way the Philadelphia 76ers are on the verge of doing to the Cbicago Bulls—after grinding out an 89-82 win Suday to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. One more “W’’ would make them only the fifth team in NBA history to pull off such an upset, something which happens regularly on ice. The difference basically is there’s may be goaltending in hoops, but no goaltenders to swat
PHILADELPHIA—They turned back the clock Friday night in Philadelphia. With “The Doctor,’’ a.k.a. Julius Erving, officially welcomed back into the house, the “joint was jumping’’ as they used to say in his day. Meanwhile Dr. J’s old teammate turned coach, Doug Collins, pleaded with his team to keep plugging away in what appeared to be a lost cause, urged on by the some 20,000 red-and-white towel waving banshees, screaming “Defense. Defense’’ at their top of their lungs. The NBA playoffs returned to the