Celtics send injury-hit Cavaliers packing

NEW YORK (AFP) — The Boston Celtics overpowered the Cleveland Cavaliers, 113-98, to reach a third straight Eastern Conference finals as Western Conference top seeds Oklahoma City moved to the brink of elimination after crashing 104-92 at home to Dallas.

In Boston, Jayson Tatum’s 25 points helped the Celtics subdue an injury-hit Cavs line-up to complete a 4-1 win in the best-of-seven series.

The Eastern Conference No. 1 seeds will face either the Indiana Pacers or the New York Knicks for a place in the National Basketball Association Finals.

But while Boston continued their progress, Oklahoma City’s playoff campaign is hanging by a thread after their damaging defeat to Dallas.

Mavericks star Luka Doncic led from the front with a triple-double, finishing with 31 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists.

The Mavs lead the series 3-2 and can clinch a place in the Western Conference finals with victory in Game 6 back in Dallas on Saturday.

“We just got one more to win out of two games, and that’s it,” Doncic said.

“It’s 3-2, but that’s nothing. We’ve got to finish it and go with the same mentality.”

Doncic had been furious after the Mavs surrendered the initiative in a game-four loss in Texas on Sunday but said a more relaxed approach had been the key to Wednesday’s commanding effort.