LOS ANGELES, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Paul Millsap had 17 points and eight rebounds as the Atlanta Hawks defeated the Boston Celtics 104-92 in game six of the first round playoff series on Thursday.
Atlanta will open the Eastern Conference semifinal series on the road Monday against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, who have been off since sweeping the Detroit Pistons 4-0 last Sunday.
Al Horford and Kent Bazemore each scored 15 points, Kyle Korver had 14 points and Jeff Teague added 11 for Atlanta, which led by as many as 28 points in the second half en route to its first playoff series win over Boston in nearly 60 years.
Isaiah Thomas had a double-double with 25 points and 10 assists to lead host Boston. Jae Crowder finished with 15 points and Marcus Smart and Jonas Jerebko each added 13 for the Celtics.
The Celtics fell behind 20-17 at the end of the first quarter and were limited to 27 percent shooting in the opening half.
Atlanta outscored the Celtics 39-26 in the third quarter and led 89-61 with 9:51 remaining, but the Celtics then drew to within 10 at 96-86 but it was too little late and were eliminated from the first round of the post-season for the third consecutive year.
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TENNIS Australia said yesterday “bad boy” Nick Kyrgios will seek a reduced ATP ban and see a sports psychologist to avoid a longer suspension.
The ATP has ordered Kyrgios to see a sports psychologist or face an eight-week ban after his tantrum at the Shanghai Rolex Masters last week.
A TA spokeswoman said Kyrgios had agreed to seek help Cheap Kendall Lamm Jersey , but the 21-year-old’s season was over once the reduced three-week ban expires on November 7. “We have spoken to his management and Nick has agreed to seek the help of a sports psychologist and will now be available to play in the Hopman Cup in early January,” she said.
The Hopman Cup mixed teams event is in Perth from January 1-7 ahead of next year’s opening grand slam the Australian Open in Melbourne on January 16.
Kyrgios has apologized for his controversial on-court behavior after the ATP hit him with the conditional eight-week ban and further fines yesterday. The tennis tour organizers added US$25 Cheap Benardrick McKinney Jersey ,000 to a US$16,500 penalty ordered last week and said the eight-week ban would be reduced to three weeks if he “enters a plan of care under the direction of a sports psychologist Cheap Kevin Johnson Jersey , or an equivalent plan approved by ATP.”
“Nick’s conduct in Shanghai was unacceptable, disrespectful to the sport and its fans Cheap Nick Martin Jersey ,” said ATP executive chairman Chris Kermode. “Nick is a phenomenal talent and our hope is that he uses this time away from the tour constructively...”
Kyrgios, who has courted unwanted headlines in his short but stormy career Cheap Will Fuller V Jersey , apologized in a statement and said he would use the time to “improve on and off the court.”