Los Angeles Lakers followers watched Saturday evening as their oldest and most bitter rivals, the Boston Celtics, had been despatched residence within the first spherical of the playoffs. The second-seeded Celtics made their earliest exit for the reason that 2020-21 season, falling 109-100 in Game 7 at TD Garden to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Without Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown led Boston with 33 factors and 9 rebounds, whereas Derrick White chipped in 26, together with 5 three-pointers, however it wasn’t sufficient.
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Boston’s three-point capturing was maybe their largest undoing. The Celtics shot 13-of-49 from three in Game 7, persevering with a sample that had plagued them by the ultimate stretch of the collection. Down by a slim margin with the sport on the road, the Celtics saved pulling up from vary as a substitute of attacking the paint they usually saved lacking.
Boston’s poor decision-making down the stretch caught the eye of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper. The former Los Angeles Lakers guard took to X, searching for readability on the Celtics’ playstyle.
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“I love basketball can someone explain to me the last 5 mins of @celtics and @76ers game? Boston down by 1 & 3 and keep shooting 3s…. Please help me.”
A two-time champion with the Lakers, Harper additionally needed to endure watching his son, Ron Harper Jr., log simply 4 minutes in Game 7. The fourth-year guard struggled to make a mark off the bench, lacking his solely shot try of the evening, a three-point shot. Overall, he averaged 1.8 factors, 0.7 rebounds and 0.5 steals in his first-ever playoff look.
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While Boston exited the playoffs prematurely, Harper’s former workforce booked a spot within the second spherical. The Lakers will face the Oklahoma City Thunder, with Game 1 tipping off Tuesday at Paycom Center.
Related: Lakers Announce Big G League Change During NBA Playoffs
This story was initially revealed by Athlon Sports on May 3, 2026, the place it first appeared within the NBA part. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.