Philadelphia
Jimmy Butler lived up to his Jimmy Buckets nickname to help Philadelphia force a seventh game against Toronto in the Eastern Conference semifinals, hitting them in bunches and scoring 25 points in the 76ers' 112-101 victory over the Raptors on Thursday night.
Game 7 is Sunday night in Toronto.
Kwahi Leonard, who had scored 30-plus points in five games vs. Philly, was finally tied up early by the Sixers and hit 29 points well after the game was out of hand.
Leonard and the Raptors had no answers for Butler and All-Star guard Ben Simmons. Simmons broke through and scored 21 points — more than his combined total of Games 4 and 5.
Joel Embiid had played through a bad left knee and a stomach bug for most of the playoffs.
The entire team had reason to be ill after the Raptors crushed the Sixers by 36 in Game 5.
Embiid had a burst of energy late in the third quarter when he blocked a driving Leonard, and Simmons capitalized with a basket for an 18-point cushion. Embiid had 17 points and 12 rebounds in 35 minutes.
Notes: Kevin Durant will miss the remainder of Golden State's Western Conference semifinal against the Rockets with a strained right calf. ... The Lakers are trying to quickly rebound in their head coaching search after failing to land Tyronn Lue. A person familiar with the search said former Indiana and Orlando coach Frank Vogel will be interviewed for the opening. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday because the person wasn't at liberty to publicly discuss negotiations. Vogel flew to Los Angeles on Thursday. The 45-year old Vogel has worked for the organization before as an advance scout during the 2005-06 season. He did not coach last season following two years with the Magic. ... NBA cCommissioner Adam...
