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Tim Bontemps, ESPN
BOSTON — The Boston Celtics, behind 25 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists from Jayson Tatum, defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 113-98 in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series Wednesday night, winning the series 4 games to 1 and advancing to the Eastern Conference finals.
With the victory, Boston advanced to the East finals for a third straight season. It also marks the sixth trip in eight years – the second time the Celtics have accomplished that feat (1980-88) and joining the Philadelphia 76ers (1977-85), Los Angeles Lakers (1980-91), Chicago Bulls (1989-98), Detroit Pistons (2003-08) and Golden State Warriors (2015-22) in doing so since the NBA went to a two-conference format in the 1970-71 season.
Boston will now await the winner of the other Eastern Conference semifinal between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers, which New York leads 3 games to 2 heading into Friday’s Game 6 in Indianapolis, with the conference finals set to begin here at TD Garden either Sunday afternoon or Tuesday night.