Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnett were big down the stretch for the Celtics.
In the West, the Lakers finished their first-round series against the Nuggets with a 96-87 win. Kobe Bryant contributed just 17 points, but was the playmaker down the stretch as Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol both notched double-doubles.
Here are the recaps from the games that took place Saturday, May 11. Be sure to check out more of our in-depth Associated Press recaps and previews.
Boston Celtics 92, Philadelphia 76ers 91
BOSTON — Kevin Garnett scored 29 points — his most in the regular- or postseason this year — and added 11 rebounds Saturday night to give the Boston Celtics a 92-91 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in the opener of their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Rajon Rondo had 17 assists, 13 points and 12 rebounds for his eighth career playoff triple-double. He ran the length of the court to receive the inbounds pass and dribble out the final 3.4 seconds of the game. Read the complete story here.
Los Angeles Lakers 96, Denver Nuggets 87
LOS ANGELES — Pau Gasol had 23 points, 17 rebounds and six assists, Metta World Peace scored 15 points in his return from a seven-game suspension, and the Los Angeles Lakers outlasted the Denver Nuggets for a thrilling 96-87 victory in Game 7 on Saturday night to win their first-round series. Read the complete story here.