Author: Monojit Mandal
Jayson Tatum made his mark in the NBA record books by scoring 51 points in Game 7, the highest individual score ever in a Game 7. The Boston Celtics beat the 76ers 112-88 on Sunday to secure their second consecutive appearance in the Eastern Conference finals.
After a difficult display in the previous game, in which he missed 14 of his first 15 attempts before exploding in the fourth quarter, Tatum started this crucial battle with a bang. He scored 25 points in the first half and another 17 in an overwhelming third quarter for the Celtics, who turned a three-point lead into an unassailable 33-10 advantage.
The Celtics, who finished second in last year’s NBA Finals, will now face the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. The much-anticipated series is set to begin on Wednesday in Boston, promising a thrilling battle between two strong teams seeking a place in the NBA Finals.
Tatum broke the previous mark of 50 points in Game 7, set by Stephen-Curry of the Golden-State-Warriors just two weeks ago against the Sacramento Kings. In addition to his unprecedented score, Tatum added 13 rebounds to complete his spectacular night. Jaylen Brown, another crucial Celtics player, scored 25 points, helping Boston recover from a 3-2 series hole and fueling their quest for an incredible 18th NBA title.
When Tatum was substituted out of the game in the final minutes, the crowd gave him a standing ovation. Enthusiastic spectators erupted into a chorus of shouts of “Beat the Heat! “, enthusiastically embracing the next battle in the conference finals.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers’ newly crowned NBA MVP, Joel-Embiid, struggled to find his rhythm, scoring just 15 points on a dismal 5-of-18 shooting performance. Tobias Harris scored 19 points for the Sixers, but it wasn’t enough to overcome their opponent’s overwhelming effort. Philadelphia’s setback was their third consecutive elimination from the conference semi-finals and their fifth in six seasons, showing their persistent problems, despite the controversial “Process” approach of losing games on purpose in order to gain high selections in the draft.
Result: Celtics 112-88 76ers