Celtics claw their way back into NBA series

NEW YORK (AFP) –

The New York Knicks’ J.R. Smith (R) is fouled by Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics during their game on May 1, 2013. Garnett finished with 16 points and 18 rebounds as the Celtics staved off elimination with a 92-86 win over New York in game five.

Kevin Garnett finished with 16 points and 18 rebounds and Jason Terry had 17 points as the Boston Celtics staved off elimination with a 92-86 win over New York in game five.

Paul Pierce scored 16 points Wednesday as Terry went five-of-nine from beyond the arc for the Celtics, who now trail in the best-of-seven first round playoff series three games to two.

“We have got the heart of a champion,” Terry said. “We are not going to lay down. Every game is a game seven for us. What do we really have to lose?”

In the other Eastern Conference game Wednesday, David West had 24 points, while Paul George finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds in the Indiana Pacers routed the Atlanta Hawks 106-83 to take a 3-2 series lead.

Like Terry, Jeff Green hit a couple of big three-pointers in the fourth quarter and tallied 18 points, while Brandon Bass scored 17 for the Celtics who got off a wobbly start by giving up the first 11 points of game five.

The New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony shoots during their game against the Boston Celtics on May 1, 2013. Anthony went eight-of-24 from the field for 22 points and missed all five of his three-point shot attempts.

Boston now hopes to make history but they will have their work cut out as no NBA team has ever come back from a 3-0 hole to win a best-of-seven series.

Game six is set for Friday in Boston.

“It’s definitely on us still,” Boston coach Doc Rivers said. “It’s another game seven for us. That’s the way we’ve been viewing it. It’s still a ton of pressure on us. We have to be really good defensively.”

After their sluggish start, the Celtics got their act together, making half of their 22 three-point tries and nailing all 17 of their free throws.

“In games one, two, three and four we always had one quarter that set us back. We talked before this game about winning every quarter,” Terry said.

Terry vowed to have a bigger say in the outcome of this series.

“I am a 14-year veteran. If you don’t know who I am by now you will by the end of this,” he said.

New York’s J.R. Smith struggled in his return to the lineup with 14 points on just three-of-14 shooting from the field.

Smith served a one-game ban in game four for throwing an elbow at Terry. He missed his first 11 shots of Wednesday’s contest at Madison Square Garden.

The Indiana Pacers’ David West shoots during their game against the Atlanta Hawks on May 1, 2013. West scores 24 points as the Pacers routed the Hawks 106-83 to take a 3-2 series lead.

Knicks star Carmelo Anthony went eight-of-24 from the field for 22 points and missed all five of his three-point shot attempts.

“Nobody said it’s going to be easy, but now it’s a series,” Knicks coach Mike Woodson said.

Smith sank three three-pointers late in the fourth, the second of which got New York to within 88-83 with just over a minute left on the clock.

But then Garnett nailed a jump shot from just past the free-throw line with 48 seconds left to seal the outcome.

Boston’s Jordan Crawford and New York’s Raymond Felton exchanged words and had to be separated at midcourt at the final buzzer.

In Indianapolis, West shot 11-of-16 from the field and Roy Hibbert finished with 18 points and nine rebounds for the Pacers.

Indiana will not only attempt to wrap up the series in Atlanta on Friday but they will also be seeking to snap a 13-game losing streak there, dating back to 2006.

All five games in the series have been decided by double figures.

The Pacers rebounded nicely from a loss in game four, by shooting 50.7 percent (35-of-69) from the floor and out-rebounding Atlanta 51-28 in Wednesday’s contest.

Al Horford and Josh Smith scored 14 points each for the Hawks, who have lost seven of their last eight games in Indianapolis.

The Hawks led 22-21 at the end of the first quarter, but Indiana managed to seize command in the second.