Philadelphia coach Doug Collins admits his emerging team are still learning how to play play-off basketball but have the bit between their teeth going into Game 3 against Boston.

Evan Turner scored the go-ahead layup and drained a couple of key free throws down the stretch as Philadelphia held on for a 82-81 win over the Celtics and tie the series 1-1.

With Boston’s experience far outweighing a Sixers outfit many deem were fortunate to have reached this round, Collins claims they are learning on their feet. “You play a game like this,” he said, “and it’s worth like 10 regular season games in terms of experience.” “For our guys to scrap through a game like this … now our guys are believing they can do it.”

Key to Philadelphia’s win was Collins getting the wayward Turner to settle after he had missed seven of his first nine shots. “Evan was totally out of sync all game… he was playing so fast,” Collins said. “The thing I was happy about was that he bounced back. He had that look in his eye … I told him, ‘Evan, you just have to calm down.’ And he did.”

Philadelphia took two of three games from the Celtics during the regular season and Boston forward Paul Pierce admits they struggled defensively on Monday. He said: “We didn’t get any stops, they made some tough shots and that’s the part of the game we have to look at. “Our defence wasn’t quite there.”

 

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