No Need to Wait for Game 6 to Begin the "What If..." Game with the Celtics, Now On the Brink of Playoff Elimination

The Celtics face playoff elimination for the first time this year following their Game 5 loss to Philly.

BOSTON — After Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey drained a 3-pointer with less than four minutes to play, Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla called a time-out to empty the bench.

It was as clear a sign as any that this pivotal game in Boston’s quest to win a championship was over.

Boston’s end-of-the-bench players made things mildly interesting in the game’s final minutes, forcing Sixers head coach Doc Rivers to bring back a couple of starters to close out Philly’s 115-103 Game 5 victory.