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Sixers Renew Rivalry With Celtics

By Spike Eskin

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Andre Iguodala sunk two free throws in the closing seconds against the Bulls on Thursday night, and the 8th seeded Sixers advanced past the first round of the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2003. About an hour later, the Celtics held on to beat the Hawks, to cement an Eastern Conference quarterfinals match-up with the Sixers.

The Sixers rivalry with the Celtics is a storied one, and while Pierce and Iguodala might not quite equal Bird and Erving, it should still be quite a battle.

The teams boast two of the three top-rated defenses in the NBA this season, so if you were hoping for more scoring than in the opening round series with the Bulls, you're likely out of luck.

Will the Sixers have enough to get in the way of the Big Three's last stand in Boston? I spoke with Ben Watanabe, Celtics and NBA beat writer for NESN.COM about the upcoming series, and what the keys for both teams will be.

Follow Ben on Twitter @BenjeeBallGame

Follow Spike on Twitter @SpikeEskin

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