Atlanta forward Marvin Williams, who scored 18 points despite missing time late in the game with a sore knee, celebrates after the sub-.500 Hawks edged top-seeded Boston to force Game 7.

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ATLANTA — As streamers poured from the rafters at Philips Arena, Marvin Williams stood at center court with arms folded, looking defiant, even with a sore knee. Zaza Pachulia grabbed a microphone and summed up this improbable series.

"We're going to Game 7! Woooooooooo!" Pachulia screamed.

Game 7, indeed.

Who would have believed it?

Refusing to let go of their first trip to the playoffs in nine years, the Hawks forced an improbable deciding game with the Boston Celtics when Joe Johnson hit a crucial three-pointer with 1:07 remaining to boost Atlanta to a 103-100 victory Friday night.

The Hawks, just 37-45 during the regular season, have now beaten the Celtics three times in the space of a week to set up a deciding game in a series that many predicted to be a sweep. After all, Boston went an NBA-best 66-16 and defeated Atlanta in all three meetings before the playoffs.

But, against all odds, the Hawks are heading to Boston for Game 7 on Sunday.

Williams led the Hawks with 18 points despite missing much of the fourth quarter with a sprained left knee. Kevin Garnett had 22 for the Celtics and Ray Allen added 20, but Paul Pierce — the other member of Boston's Big Three — fouled out on a disputed call with 4:44 remaining.

Still, the Celtics had a shot to force overtime. But the Hawks kept the ball from Allen and James Posey, Rajon Rondo had to launch a long three-pointer that didn't even hit the rim as the horn sounded.

"I've played 13 years, and I've been here every year for 13 years," Garnett said. "This is the first time I've seen this atmosphere like this (in Atlanta). That's the intensity of the playoffs."

● Cavaliers 105, Wizards 88: In Washington, LeBron James had the last word.

In an NBA playoff series filled with trash talk, hard fouls, 13 technicals, one ejection, one suspension and plenty more shenanigans, James was everywhere and did a bit of everything in Game 6. And, in what's become his personal rite of spring, he led Cleveland past Washington.

James had 27 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists for his third career playoff triple-double and helped slow Caron Butler at the defensive end as the Cavaliers closed the contentious series.

"Cleveland is advancing. We won the series 4-2. That speaks louder than me saying anything about the fans here, anything about DeShawn Stevenson," James said, referring to the Wizards guard who called him overrated.

"Cleveland is advancing. That's all that matters."

It's the third consecutive postseason that the Cavaliers eliminated the Wizards in the first round — each of those series ended on Washington's home floor.

Cleveland, which reached the NBA finals a year ago, now faces Boston or Atlanta. Whoever wins will have to try to do something Washington could not: stop James.

● Jazz 113, Rockets 91: In Salt Lake City, Deron Williams scored 13 of his 25 points in the decisive third quarter, and Utah won the series 4-2 to knock the Rockets out of the playoffs in the opening round for the second straight year.

The Jazz were determined to avoid a Game 7 in Houston, the site of the team's embarrassing 95-69 loss in Game 5 on Tuesday. Instead, the Jazz head to Los Angeles to open the second round against the Lakers on Sunday.

Tracy McGrady scored 40 for the Rockets, but could not beat the Jazz by himself and fell to 0-7 in playoff series.

● Former Cat Gilbert Arenas said he would be getting his surgically repaired left knee drained of excess fluid to begin his process of healing for next season.

● Former Suns assistant Marc Iavaroni will coach the Memphis Grizzlies again next season after having won only 22 games in his first stint as an NBA head coach.