Celtics Vs. Sixers: Complete Eastern Semifinals Series Coverage

The Miami Heat will be heavy favorites heading into the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics, even without Chris Bosh. But they do not have what Boston has: Kevin Garnett, master of staring into your soul.

Asked by ESPN’s Doris Burke what message he had for the Heat heading into the conference finals, KG replied with a quick “Let’s do it!” and then stared at the camera as if to inform it that it would be dead in moments.

As a consumer of basketball lore, I’d be fine with a Sixers win -- I remember how marvelous they looked early in the season, and I marvel at their instincts of survival. I will never say that they don’t deserve to be in the East final. If they win Game 7, they do, no question.

But the basketball fan in me, the guy who wants to enjoy watching the East finals over the next two weeks? For that part of me, man, the Sixers cannot win this game.

The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers have been locked in one of the less aesthetically pleasing series of the 2012 NBA playoffs in their Eastern Conference Semifinals, but their play has produced contentious games. And the series is headed to one of the rare treats of the postseason: a decisive Game 7.

No. 8 Philadelphia 76ers at No. 4 Boston Celtics

TIME TBD -- Game 7, Eastern Conference Semifinals | Series tied, 3-3

National TV: 8 p.m. ET, ABC

This series between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers has been ... unpredictable, to say the least. Few expected the 76ers to be competitive, and even fewer expected them to win on Boston’s home floor like they did in Game 2 or rally from a double-digit deficit to win like they did in Game 4. Nobody really knows what to expect, but we tried our best to make some sense of this series in this video as we prepare for Wednesday’s Game 6.

Some keys discussed, among many others:

For all news and information regarding the Philadelphia 76ers, please visit Liberty Ballers or head on over to SB Nation Philadelphia. For updates and perspective on the Boston Celtics, check out Celtics Blog or stop by SB Nation Boston.

After scoring five points on 2-7 shooting in the Celtics’ 101-85 Game 5 victory, Allen was asked whether his first start in more than a month felt different than any other. He normally responds to even the dumbest questions with a thoroughly-contemplated and articulate answer, but he was uncharacteristically short this time.

“Nope,” he replied.

The Celtics used a strong second half to pull away from the 76ers and win Game 5, 101-85. The win gives Boston a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven series.

The series shifts back to Philadelphia for Game 6 on Wednesday.

The more cynical among us will start scrutinizing every call the officials make, just as they did when the whistles looked imbalanced during Game 3 of Thunder-Lakers. Me? I’m not encouraging dishonesty, per se. But if David Stern has to do some things to give us the playoff matchups I want to see, let’s just say I won’t write any angry columns about it.

That’s right, I said it. No one’s encouraging the fix. No one’s even saying the league would do such a thing. I’m just saying...well, check out the latest “Bomani & Jones,” and it’ll all make sense.

It’s certainly great news if Allen is able to go for Boston as they look to avoid another upset, but the most interesting part of this Tweet from the Celtics is the quoted “tempted to run the treadmill” bit. It just seems ... weird, but as long as he thought better about running the treadmill? Great!

For more on the Celtics, visit CelticsBlog and SB Nation Boston. For more on the Sixers, please visit Liberty Ballers and SB Nation Philly.

For more on the Celtics, visit CelticsBlog and SB Nation Boston. For more on the Sixers, please visit Liberty Ballers and SB Nation Philly.

For more on the Celtics, check out Celtics Blog and SB Nation Boston. For more on the 76ers, head over to Liberty Ballers and SB Nation Philly.

Full Celtics Vs. 76ers Conference Semifinals Schedule:

Game 1: Sat., May 12 at Boston, 8 p.m., TNT

Game 2: Mon., May 14 at Boston, 7 p.m., TNT

Game 3: Wed., May 16 at Philadelphia, 7 p.m., TNT

Game 4: Fri., May 18 at Philadelphia, TBA, ESPN

Game 5 (if necessary): Mon., May 21 at Boston, TBA, TNT

Game 6 (if necessary): Wed., May 23 at Philadelphia, TBA, ESPN

Game 7 (if necessary): Sat., May 26 at Boston, TBA

The 2012 NBA Playoffs continue on Saturday evening with two games on the slate. The two series are just a bit different, as one series is getting started in the second round of the playoffs while the other has been pushed to a Game 7 and the winner moves on to the next round.

Here’s the NBA schedule for Saturday:

It should be an interesting series, one that pits experience against budding confidence.

Game 1 will tip off at 8 p.m. EDT and be televised on TNT.

Neither Boston nor Philadelphia had home court advantage in the first round. The Celtics hold home court in the second round series.

The NBA has only scheduled out the first two games of the series. Game 2 in Boston is slated for 7 p.m. ET Monday. The NBA has warned/promised that the second round will include one back-to-back for each series; that would definitely benefit the younger, deeper 76ers here.