BOSTON — Jayson Tatum scored 51 factors – probably the most in a Game 7 in NBA historical past — and the Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 112-88 on Sunday to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the second straight 12 months.
One recreation after lacking 14 of his first 15 pictures solely to awaken within the fourth quarter, Tatum bought off to the quick begin the Celtics wanted. He scored 25 within the back-and-forth first half and 17 extra in Boston’s 33-10 third quarter that turned a three-point lead right into a runaway.
The Celtics, who misplaced to the Golden State Warriors within the NBA Finals final 12 months, will face the Miami Heat within the Eastern Conference finals, which start on Wednesday in Boston.
Tatum broke the Game 7 document that Stephen Curry set with 50 factors two weeks in the past towards Sacramento and added 13 rebounds.
Jaylen Brown scored 25 factors for the Celtics, who rallied from a 3-2 deficit within the best-of-seven sequence to maintain alive their hopes for an unprecedented 18th NBA championship. Tatum was subbed out of the sport with three minutes left to a standing ovation from the gang, which quickly broke out in a “Beat the Heat!” chant.
Newly topped NBA MVP Joel Embiid scored 15 factors on 5-for-18 taking pictures, and Tobias Harris scored 19 for Philadelphia. The Sixers misplaced within the convention semifinals for the third straight 12 months, and the fifth time in six seasons; they haven’t gotten any farther since reaching the NBA Finals in 2001.
Tatum began 0 for six in a Game 5 loss and missed 14 of his first 15 pictures total from the ground in Game 6 earlier than erupting for 4 3-pointers within the last 4:14 to power the decisive seventh recreation.
He picked up the place he left off, scoring Boston’s first basket and 11 factors within the first quarter, 14 extra within the second and outscoring the Sixers on his personal, 17-10, within the third. The 33-10 edge within the third was probably the most lopsided quarter in a Game 7 since no less than 1997.
BANGED-UP BROWN
Brown started the sport with the black masks he has worn since breaking a bone in his face earlier than the All-Star break. He took it off and shortly absorbed an elbow to the face from James Harden, who was assessed a flagrant foul.
Brown continued with out the masks however completed the half with cotton in his left nostril. He additionally performed with an edge, making each foul pictures and following it with a steal and layup as Boston went on a 9-0 run to erase a 35-26 deficit.
Brown additionally dove into the Sixers bench to avoid wasting a ball, then had phrases with the bench after Georges Niang grabbed his leg and saved him from getting again on the courtroom. Both gamers got technical fouls.
Williams adopted the commotion with a layup that tied the rating 35-all.
WHAT’S UP, DOC?
Sixers coach Doc Rivers is 6-10 in seventh video games. The 10 defeats are 5 greater than another NBA coach and three greater than the NHL’s Mike Babcock and Bruce Boudreau. His groups are 6-16 of their final 22 probabilities to shut out an opponent in a playoff sequence.
“It’s an honor to keep getting teams to these places,” he mentioned earlier than the sport. “There’s people, your friends who look at you like, ‘Why do you like this?’ And this is what it’s about. You put yourself out there because you want to win. And you know if you do that you have to put yourself in these situations over and over and over again. And it’s worth it. It’s worth it. And that’s what I tell my guys.”
TIP-INS
Tatum is the sixth participant since 1997 to attain 25 factors or extra within the first half of a seventh recreation. The final was Luka Doncic, who had 29 towards the Clippers within the first spherical of the 2021 playoffs. Paul Pierce scored 26 for the Celtics towards Cleveland within the second spherical in 2008. … The 10 factors Philadelphia scored have been tied for the fewest in any Game 7 quarter within the shot clock period.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com