NBA play-offs: LA Clippers beat Utah Jazz to reach Western Conference finals for first time

Terance Mann (left) and Paul George played a key role as LA Clippers beat Utah Jazz in game six

Los Angeles Clippers beat Utah Jazz 131-119 to secure a 4-2 series win and reach the NBA Western Conference finals for the first time.

Terance Mann scored a career-high 39 points for the Clippers, who trailed by 25 points in the third quarter.

“Everybody was telling me to shoot the ball and that’s what I did,” said Mann, who hit 15 of 21 shots from the floor and drained seven of 10 three pointers.

The Clippers will play Phoenix Suns for a place in the NBA finals.

Paul George scored 28 points and added nine rebounds and seven assists for the Clippers, who were without their top player Kawhi Leonard through injury.

“It feels great,” said George. “They wrote us off when Kawhi went down.”

In the Eastern Conference semi-finals Philadelphia 76ers earned a 104-99 win over Atlanta Hawks to level their best-of-seven series at 3-3.

Seth Curry and Tobias Harris scored 24 points apiece for the Sixers, while team-mate Joel Embiid registered 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.

Atlanta reduced the gap to 100-97 with 14 seconds to go but Harris sank a pair of free throws as the Sixers held on for the win.

“You saw the fight and grit of a whole group,” said Harris.

The 76ers will be at home for the deciding game on Sunday.