NBA Playoffs: Toronto Raptors force game seven against Boston Celtics

The Toronto Raptors held on the their hopes of defending their NBA championship title by forcing game seven against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. They did this after a thrilling 125-122 double overtime victory in game six.

The series is now tied 3-3 thanks in part to the heroics of Kyle Lowry, who scored 33 points on Wednesday at the NBA bubble in Disney World Orlando, Florida.

According to BBC, Lowry was completely stoked with the result and he can't wait to play the decider. "Don't matter who has to do it. Ready for game seven. We play every possession like it's our last and find ways to pull out victories," he said.

Meanwhile, it wasn't just Lowry who stepped up for the Raptors. Small forward Norman Powell scored 23 points off the bench on Wednesday, helping his team edge out the Celtics. "I pride myself on making winning plays. The game called on me to be aggressive and that's what I did. It's what I play for. It's what I pride myself in playing for," said Powell.

Game seven will be played on Friday, with the winner advancing to the Eastern Conference finals. The momentum will be on the Toronto Raptors' side on Friday, but they know that they still have a long way to go before they get their title defence in the bag.

The other semi-final series has already been won by the Miami Heat. They staged an upset against top seeded Milwaukee Bucks, who struggled after reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo injured his ankle.

This will be the second year in a row where the Milwaukee Bucks finished the regular season as favourites to win the title. It is also the second season in a row wherein they failed to progress to the finals.

Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Clippers are leading their Western Conference semi-final series against the Denver Nuggets, 3-1. The Los Angeles Lakers are also leading their series 2-1 against the Houston Rockets.