It was a remarkable performance by Jayson Tatum, as he scored 51 points in leading the Celtics to a spectacular 112-88 triumph over the Philadelphia 76ers in the 7th game of the second-round playoff series. In addition to helping the Celtics seize control of the game, Tatum joined Celtics legend John Havlicek, who scored a team-record 54 points in a 1973 playoff victory over the Atlanta Hawks.
Havlicek, a Hall of Famer who played for the Celtics from 1963-78, played a key role on 8 NBA championship teams for Boston.
Tatum is the only player in Celtics history multiple 50-point playoff games. He also scored 50 points in a 2021 postseason victory over the Brooklyn Nets. The other Celtics players who have scored 50 or more in a postseason game include Havlicek, Isaiah Thomas, Ray Allen, Sam Jones and Bob Cousy.
The Celtics and Sixers were involved in a close game in the first half, and a late surge by the Celtics allowed them to take a 55-52 lead at halftime. Boston took over the game and ran the Sixers out of the building with a 33-10 demolition in the 3rd quarter.
The Sixers were unable to make any inroads in the final half as stars Joel Embiid and James Harden struggled. Embiid finished with 15 points on 5 of 18 shooting, while Harden had 9 points on his 3 of 11 effort.
Jayson Tatum made 17 of 28 FG attempts, including 6 of 10 from beyond the arc. He also had 13 rebounds and 5 assists. Teammate Jaylen Brown contributed 25 points on 9 of 19 shooting.
The Celtics will compete for the Eastern Conference title with the Miami Heat. That series will begin Wednesday in Boston.
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