NBA playoffs: Celtics host Bucks, Suns meet Mavs in pair of Game 7s

The NBA’s long regular season can be tedious, but make no mistake, it matters.Just ask the Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns — two teams who have home-court advantage in Game 7 of their respective second-round playoff series on Sunday thanks to superior regular-season records.The Celtics host the Milwaukee Bucks a few hours before the Suns host the Dallas Mavericks in what could be a drama-filled day."It means everything," Celtics forward Jayson Tatum said of getting Game 7 in Boston. In the Celtics’ three losses, they have a much narrower 111-102 advantage from 3-point range and have made just 32.5% of their attempts.— Injury watch: Bucks F Khris Middleton has missed nine straight playoff games with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. It’s legitimately day to day."— Pressure is on: Bucks G Grayson Allen: After delivering a 22-point outburst and a 27-point performance in back-to-back games when the Bucks beat the Chicago Bulls in the first round, Allen hasn’t been nearly as effective in this series despite moving into a starting role in Game 3. Allen shot 1-for-7 overall and scored three points in Game 6.Mavericks at Suns: 8 p.m. ET on TNT— Need to know: The home team has won each of the first six games in this series, which now moves back to Phoenix for the final game.