The Sixer Sense
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Bring it back to Philly!

By CHRISTIAN KLEMASH

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 7: T.J. McConnell #12 of the Philadelphia 76ers talks to Ben Simmons #25 and Joel Embiid #21 in the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics during Game Four of the Eastern Conference Second Round of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at Wells Fargo Center on May 7, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Celtics 103-92. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 7: T.J. McConnell #12 of the Philadelphia 76ers talks to Ben Simmons #25 and Joel Embiid #21 in the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics during Game Four of the Eastern Conference Second Round of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at Wells Fargo Center on May 7, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Celtics 103-92. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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The Philadelphia 76ers will face a tough test tonight in Game 5 in Boston as they seek to bring the series back to Philadelphia.

I’ll state the obvious: This is gonna be a tough one.

Boston does not want to come back to Philly.  They want to close out the Sixers tonight and move on to the Eastern Conference Finals where LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers await the winner of the Philadelphia 76ers-Boston Celtics series.

But the thought has to have crept into their minds – which is the Celtics greatest fear: they do not want to be the first team in NBA history to lose a playoff series after leading 3-0.

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I know, I know, they are playing with house money because they have the built-in excuse that they’re playing without Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward.  But still, nobody wants to be that guy.  Oh, you were on the 2018 Celtics that blew the 3-0 lead to Philly?  That guy.  So they will be fighting tonight like it’s a Game 7.

In a raucous Game 4, the Sixers got their first win against Boston in this postseason, staving off elimination with a 103-92 victory Monday night in Philadelphia.

The Sixers were sparked by T.J. McConnell, who started in what was the first adjustment (finally!) that Brett Brown has made in the series.  McConnell played 39 minutes, scored 19 points, had seven rebounds and five assists.

He steadied the Sixers and hit down open shots, going 9-12 from the floor.  And he provided much needed speed, darting like a waterbug all over the court while keeping his dribble and taking the pressure off of Ben Simmons.  McConnell also helped negate Boston’s speedster guard, Terry Rozier, who finished with only 11 points and two assists.

So what will Boston Coach Brad Stevens do tonight to adjust?  The media has all but anointed him as the next Phil Jackson.  But if Philly wins tonight, the pressure shifts heavily onto the Celtics, who would be coming back to Philly with their lead trimmed to 3-2 in the series.

And then, if the Celtics make history in a way they never would want to, what will Bostonians and the rest of the league think of the boy genius coach?

Next: 3 reasons the Sixers can still make this a series

Let’s hope the Sixers make us find out.  One game at a time.