The Boston Celtics surged in second and third quarters as they roared to a 112-88 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of their second-round playoff series. Superstar Jayson Tatum delivered a spectacular 51-point effort to drive the Celtics to the triumph and a spot in Eastern Conference Final.

Point guard Marcus Smart, who is often seen as the heart and soul of the team, was not surprised to see Tatum drive the Celtics to the one-sided victory.

He said that he knew Tatum would come through with the big effort after he struggled in Game 6. Boston won that game 95-86 on the road, but Tatum struggled until the final 4 minutes of that game as he made just 5 of 21 shots from the field. However, he made 4 three-pointers in the final minutes, which allowed the Celtics to secure the victory.

“He heard all the criticism, he heard all the talk and he knew he didn't play well up to his standards,” Smart explained. “That's why he gets paid all the big bucks. He and Jaylen (Brown) are superstars, and they showed why today.”

Tatum set an NBA record by reaching the 51-point mark in the 7th game of an NBA playoff series. He broke the record set earlier in the playoffs by Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors. Curry scored 50 points in Golden State's Game 7 triumph over the Sacramento Kings.

Tatum connected on 17 of 28 shots from the field, including 6 of 10 from beyond the arc. He also made 11 of 14 free throws. Brown added 25 points, while Smart contributed 7 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists.