PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Trae Young and the Hawks are taking their stunning turnaround to the Eastern Conference finals.
Young made a late 3-pointer and scored 21 points to help Atlanta win for the third time in the series in Philadelphia, a 103-96 victory over the top-seeded 76ers on Sunday night in Game 7.
The Hawks will open their first East finals since 2015. They will play the Bucks beginning Wednesday night in Milwaukee. Pregame at 7 p.m. on WKTY 96.7 FM / 580 AM.
Atlanta had been 0-9 in Games 7s on the road.
But the Hawks ignored their ignominious history and got one in Philly, where they already won in Game 1 and Game 5 and knocked out Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and closed the book on the Process.
Kevin Huerter, who led the Hawks with 27 points, sealed the win with three free throws and the packed house of 18,624 fell as silent as it was when the season opened without any fans.
Embiid scored 31 points.
SUNS 120, CLIPPERS 104
PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker had 40 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists for his first career triple-double and the Phoenix Suns overcame Chris Paul’s absence to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 120-114 on Sunday in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.
Paul sat out because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Clippers star Kawhi Leonard missed his third straight game because of a sprained right knee.
Paul George led Los Angeles with 34 points.
Game 2 is on Tuesday night in Phoenix.
Tied at 93 to start the fourth, the Suns went on a 12-2 run and pulled ahead 105-95 on Cam Johnson’s dunk with 8:08 remaining. The Clippers wouldn’t go away, though, cutting a 10-point deficit in the final two minutes to 116-114 when Terance Mann hit a 3-pointer with 22 seconds left.
Booker scored on a dunk on the next possession to seal Phoenix’s eighth straight victory, getting a free lane to the basket on the blown defensive coverage.
Deandre Ayton had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Suns. Cameron Payne started for Paul and had 11 points and nine assists.
TOP PHOTO: Atlanta Hawks’ Kevin Huerter, right, and Clint Capela celebrate during the final seconds of Game 7 in a second-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers, Sunday, June 20, 2021, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)