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76ers Deserve Their Moment in Philadelphia: A Fan's Opinion (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

Against all odds, the Philadelphia 76ers will be playing basketball on Memorial Day weekend. After winning Game 6, the 76ers will visit the Boston Celtics in the deciding Game 7 on Saturday, May 26. After an up and down season for the young team, there weren't a lot of people that thought that the 76ers would be one win away from reaching the conference finals. But here they are, and fans should really be excited. No matter what happens in Game 7, the 76ers have succeeded in their mission. They have won back the respect of the city.

 

Celtics, Sixers prepare for another seventh game (The Associated Press)

BOSTON (AP) Julius Erving strolled through the 76ers locker room as Philadelphia celebrated beating the Celtics to set up another Game 7 in Boston.

 

Create-a-Caption: Allen Iverson, superfan (Ball Don't Lie)

After presenting the game ball before Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series between the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics, NBA legend Allen Iverson headed back up to his seat and he cheered. Man, did he cheer. Oh, boy, did he cheer. What kind of cheers came out of the mouth of "The Answer"? Best caption wins a head's up that The Questions are back . Good luck. In our last adventure : LOUD NOISES!

 

Jrue Holiday attacked, attacked, attacked, and the Sixers won Game 6 (VIDEO) (Ball Don't Lie)

Heading into a win-or-go-home Game 6 against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night, Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doug Collins said his team needed point guard Jrue Holiday to ramp up his aggression, get to the basket more frequently and put up more shots to give Philly a chance of extending the series to Game 7. Apparently, the third-year guard listens. Holiday took 15 shots on Wednesday night, the most of any Sixer, and posted a team-leading 20 points as Philly scored an 82-75 Game 6 win to knot this second-round series at three games apiece. As we discussed Wednesday, though, the key wasn't just that Holiday get his shots up, but where he got them up; after taking just five attempts at the rim in Games 4 and 5 combined, Holiday went 3 for 5 at the tin in Game 6 and 6 for 10 within nine feet of the basket, according to Hoopdata's shot location statistics , meaning that despite having gone 9 for 19 from 3-point range in the series' first five games, he refused to fall in love with his jumper and just continued attacking the paint. Even when he didn't connect on the bucket, the attacks paid dividends — Holiday attempted (and made) six free throws Wednesday night, one fewer than he'd tried in the first five games combined, and four of his six assists led to baskets at the rim for his teammates. By routinely beating Boston's defense off the bounce and getting into the lane, Holiday was able to generate offense not only for himself, but for the rest of the Sixers, and in a game where both teams struggled with their jumpers — Philly was just 12 for 35 from beyond 10 feet, while Boston was a ghastly 17 for 56 — the team able to produce and convert more up-close opportunities came away with the win.

 

Behind the Box Score, where the Philadelphia 76ers refuse to go quietly. If at all (Ball Don't Lie)

Philadelphia 76ers 82, Boston Celtics 75 (series tied, 3-3) The Boston Celtics' recent history of failing to close out series after series on the road is well-documented, but this is getting a little silly. The Philadelphia 76ers are certainly good enough to beat the Celtics in a series. They're a legitimate conference finals contender, even as an eighth seed considering that end of the bracket (which was designed for the top-seeded Bulls to play a mediocre Eastern team in the second round), and the Sixers are certainly good enough to stand their ground at home with the team's season on the line. For the Celtics to lose like this, though? Giving up on offensive possessions in the half court once Philly took away an initial option, and refusing to run out after misses? This was disappointing. And unlike other Celtic eras, which would see the team head back home for a deciding Game 7 with a (relatively) younger roster, nothing is guaranteed in Saturday's Game 7. The game starts at 0-0, and the Sixers have all the promise in the world if they keep their wits about them.

 

Allen Iverson presented the game ball for Sixers’ Game 6, talked about his future (VIDEO) (Ball Don't Lie)

Sixers legend Allen Iverson left Philadelphia under not-so-great circumstances twice — first, when he was traded to the Denver Nuggets in December 2006, and then again in 2010 after a short, controversy-filled return to the franchise . Despite those exits, Iverson is still much-loved in Philly. He led the franchise emotionally and on the court for more than a decade, and his toughness (mixed with a lot of frustration, naturally) helped the city identify with him. Simply put, he's the most important Philadelphia athlete of the past 25 years, no matter how often Eagles fans still complain about former quarterback Donovan McNabb. [ Video: Disguised NBA star's big viral hoops hit ] On Wednesday night, the currently unemployed Iverson returned to the Wells Fargo Center to present the game ball before tip-off of the Sixers' Game 6 win against the Boston Celtics. His initial appearance was brief: He walked out in head-to-toe Sixers apparel (including a jersey with the No. 23 of Louis Williams, the most Iversonian member of the team), presented the ball, shook some hands, gave some hugs, and left the court to watch the game. Through it all, the home crowd gave him a huge ovation. You can watch video of that above. After the jump, check out the more complicated part of Iverson's evening: an interview with ESPN's Lisa Salters that touched on his desire to play basketball and his difficulty in finding a team that wants him.

 

76ers top Celtics to force Game 7 in East semis (The Associated Press)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) In the most unpredictable of playoff series, Rajon Rondo was the one consistent playmaker for Boston.

 

Sixers' ugly ball delivers them Game 7 date with Celtics in East semifinal (Yahoo! Sports)

The Celtics have found themselves in a winner-take-all Game 7 against the scrappy Sixers.

 

Sixers force NBA game seven with Celtics (AFP)

The Philadelphia 76ers kept their season alive with an 82-75 victory over the Boston Celtics to force a seventh game in their Eastern Conference playoff series.

 

76ers confident despite Game 7 odds (The SportsXchange)

The Philadelphia 76ers have given themselves a chance. By outlasting the Celtics 82-75 in Game 6 Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Center, they get to play Game 7 Saturday in Boston.