ATLANTA — John Wall had that look in his eye at morning shootaround. Bradley Beal knew it was going to be a big night for Washington’s star point guard.
Wall scored 42 points — a career playoff high, with 19 coming in the fourth quarter to single-handedly hold off a furious Atlanta comeback — and the Wizards eliminated the Hawks with a 115-99 victory Friday, capturing the opening-round playoff series 4-2.
Wall, who stared down the crowd, jawed with NFL star Julio Jones and other celebrities sitting courtside and hit every big shot down the stretch. He was determined to get back at the Hawks for a second-round loss in 2015, when he missed three games with a broken hand.
“We came here with that focus and determination that we wanted to do the same thing those guys did to us two years ago,” Wall said.
Wall also came up with a huge defensive play that stymied the Hawks’ momentum, hustling back to block Dennis Schroder’s layup from behind when Atlanta had a chance to close within a single point after being down by as many as 22.
After claiming the first road victory by either team in the series, the Wizards advanced to face top-seeded Boston in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Game 1 is Sunday in Boston.
Paul Millsap led the Hawks with 31 points, and Schroder had 26. After losing three close games in Washington, the Hawks finally ran out of steam.
The Hawks made their earliest exit from the playoffs since 2014, when they lost to Indiana in the opening round.
Celtics eliminate Bulls
The Boston Celtics kept reminding each other not to let up as they closed in on a lopsided victory and a trip to the NBA’s Eastern Conference semifinals.
Avery Bradley scored 23 points, and the hot-shooting Celtics pounded the Chicago Bulls 105-83 to win their first-round series 4-2.
The top-seeded Celtics simply torched Chicago to finish off a tougher-than-anticipated series and advance in the playoffs for the first time since 2012. Boston regrouped after dropping the first two games at home.
Bradley finished one point shy of a playoff career high he set in Game 5. He nailed three 3-pointers and the Celtics hit 16 of 39 from long range.
Gerald Green scored 16 in his fourth straight start and Isaiah Thomas had 12 before heading home to Washington state for his sister Chyna’s funeral Saturday. Her death in a car accident the day before the playoff opener dealt a blow to the Celtics. But Boston rallied around its star player and regrouped when it looked like the series might slip from reach.
Jimmy Butler led Chicago with 23 points. But the Bulls never really found their rhythm over the final four games with point guard Rajon Rondo sidelined by a broken right thumb.
Dwyane Wade shot just 1 of 10 in a two-point effort that could be his final appearance for the Bulls. He has a $23.8 million option on the two-year deal he signed last summer to leave Miami and come home to Chicago.
Clippers 98, Jazz 93
Clippers coach Doc Rivers put it simply when he said Chris Paul willed his team to victory with the season on the line.
Paul scored 29 points and the Los Angeles Clippers forced a Game 7 with a 98-93 victory over the Utah Jazz.
The Clippers will host the only do-or-die game of the first round Sunday, with the winner advancing to face the Golden State Warriors.
“It’s just Chris,” Rivers said. “He is as competitive as a human being as I’ve ever been around. When you put that with the talent and the will, that’s why he has performances like this in big games.
“Chris was amazing. He just willed the game for us.”
Paul also finished with eight assists, three rebounds and two steals.
DeAndre Jordan added 13 points and 18 rebounds.
“We do it together,” Paul said.
Hayward led the Jazz with 31 points, George Hill added 22 and Rudy Gobert finished with 15 points and nine rebounds. — Agencies
