NBA: Celtics, Wizards Advance To Second Round

LOS ANGELES, , (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Apr, 2017 ) - Avery Bradley led a balanced offensive attack as the Boston Celtics advanced to the second round of the NBA playoffs with a 105-83 rout of the Chicago Bulls on Friday.

Bradley led the way with 23 points as all five Celtics starters scored in double figures to close out their best-of-seven Eastern Conference series in six games. It was an emotional series victory for Boston.

The Celtics had to win four straight after dropping the first two games of the first round matchup. In addition they had to rally around teammate Isaiah Thomas who lost his sister in a fatal car accident.

"I said this a couple of times -- bigger things than basketball happen and that takes precedence," Boston coach Brad Stevens said.

"I was really proud of our guys how they treated each other and how they stuck together." With the victory, the Celtics advance to face the Washington Wizards, who eliminated the Atlanta Hawks with a 115-99 victory earlier Friday.

Gerald Green tallied 16 points for the Celtics, while Jae Crowder, Thomas and Al Horford each scored 12 in the series clinching victory. "(After the first two games), the team wasn't right," Horford said.

"But after that second game going into third, I thought we were in a better place and that helped us get over the hump." Jimmy Butler scored 23 points for the host Bulls, who squandered a 2-0 lead after a pair of lopsided victories in Boston. Butler posted a team-high point total in game six despite being hampered by a knee problem.