Sixers make it a series

BOSTON -- We may actually have a series.

After the Philadelphia 76ers meltdown in the fourth quarter of the series-opener two nights earlier, the talk around these parts was a sweep. Maybe Boston would lose a game, but there was no way that this young Philly group was ready -- both physically and mentally -- to get past a veteran team like the Celtics.

However, somehow and someway the 76ers did find a way to hold onto an eight-point lead to start the fourth quarter and now, after a 82-81 victory on Monday night, Doug Collins' young group returns home tied in the series and with homecourt advantage.

The 76ers needed a few breaks -- and that's exactly what they received. There was the prayer from Lavoy Allen as the shot clock expired with just under four minutes remaining that tied the game at 67. There was a 3-pointer from Jrue Holiday over Paul Pierce with less than two minutes left.

And there was the debatable call on Kevin Garnett with 10 seconds left in which he was called for setting a moving screen.

Now the Philadelphia 76ers have confidence. These guys believe they can win. They took care of the Chicago Bulls without Derrick Rose, and now they have proven they can beat the Celtics.