Jayson Tatum scores an NBA-record 51 points in Game 7 as the Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 112-88 on Sunday to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight year. bottom.
After missing 14 of his first 15 shots in a game, Tatum woke up in the fourth quarter to give the Celtics the quick start they needed. He scored 25 points in a back-and-forth first half and added another 17 points in Boston’s 33-10 third quarter to turn a three-point lead into a runaway victory.
The Celtics, who lost to the Golden State Warriors in last year’s NBA Finals, will face the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals starting Wednesday in Boston.
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Jason Tatum of the Boston Celtics celebrates a basketball goal against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at TD Garden in Boston on May 14, 2023. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
Tatum’s 13 rebounds and Jaylen Brown’s 25 points helped the Celtics come back from a 3-2 best-of-seven series streak to clinch hopes of an unprecedented 18th NBA championship. Tatum was sent off with three minutes remaining, and the crowd gave him a standing ovation, which soon erupted into a chorus of “Beat the Heat!” chant.
In Philadelphia, new NBA MVP Joel Embiid had 15 points on 5-of-18 shooting and Tobias Harris had 19 points. It will be the third straight year and fifth in six seasons that the Sixers have lost in the conference semifinals. They haven’t progressed further since reaching the NBA Finals in 2001.
Tatum lost Game 5 by going 0-for-6, but in Game 6 he missed 14 of 15 overall from the floor, but made four 3-pointers in the final 4:14. and led the decisive 7th game to victory.
He picked up where he left off, scoring Boston’s first basket for 11 points in the first quarter, scoring another 14 points in the second, and single-handedly beating the Sixers 17-10 in the third. The 33-10 lead in Game 3 was the most lopsided quarter in Game 7 since at least 1997.
Jason Tatum of the Boston Celtics celebrates against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at TD Garden in Boston on May 14, 2023. (David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)
banged up brown
Brown started the game in the black mask he’s been wearing since breaking his facial bone before the All-Star break. He removed it and quickly absorbed James Harden’s elbow to the face, which was ruled a gross foul.
He continued without a mask, but finished half with cotton in his left nostril. Brown also played with an edge, making both foul shots, followed by a steal and a layup, as Boston wiped out a 35-26 deficit with a 9-0 run.
Brown also dove onto the Sixers’ bench to save the ball and exchanged words with the bench after Georges Niang grabbed his leg and prevented him from returning to the court. Both players were awarded technical fouls.
Teammate Robert Williams also made a layup to tie the score at 35-ALL.
What’s wrong, sir?
Sixers coach Doc Rivers is 6-10 in Game 7. Those 10 losses are five more than any other NBA coach and three more than NHL’s Mike Babcock and Bruce Boudreau. His team is 6-16 with his 22 chances to shut out opponents last in the playoff series.
“It’s an honor to continue sending teams to these places,” he said before the game. “Some people, like your friends, look at you like, ‘Why do you like this?’ I know I have to put myself in that situation again and again and it’s worth it, it’s worth it, that’s what I tell my guys is.”
Jason Tatum of the Boston Celtics celebrates a basketball goal against the Philadelphia 76ers during the 3rd quarter of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at TD Garden in Boston on May 14, 2023. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
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Tatum became the sixth player since 1997 to score 25 or more points in the first half of Game 7. Last was Luka Doncic, who scored 29 points against the Clippers in Round 1 of the 2021 playoffs. Paul Pierce scored 26 points in the 2008 Game 2 game against Cleveland. … Philadelphia’s 10-point score was tied for the shortest Game 7 quarter in the shot-clock era.
