A record-breaking performance from Jayson Tatum has lifted the Boston Celtics into the Eastern Conference finals with a 112-88 win over the Philadelphia 76ers at the TD Garden.
Taytum dropped a staggering 51 points, the most scored by a player in a Game 7, en route to the win as the Celtics prepare for a series against the Miami Heat.
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The Celtics superstar, who also had 13 rebounds, was helped by a 25-point performance from Jaylen Brown.
The Sixers were left to lament what could have been having led the series against Boston 3-2 at one stage and even had the chance to close it out at home in Game Six.
But back-to-back defeats brought down the curtain on Philadelphia’s season.
Boston’s win also means it is a rematch in both the Western and Eastern Conference finals from the 2020 bubble playoffs.
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Although the Sixers stole a 29-23 lead in the first quarter, Boston ramped up the intensity and never looked back.
The home side outscored Philadelphia 32-23 in the second quarter to hold a slender three-point lead at half-time.
But Taytum and his Celtics teammates exploded in the third, restricting the Sixers to a measly 10 points while scoring 33 of their own in a quarter that effectively sealed the result.
There was little Philly could do in the final period to overturn the result as a rowdy TD Garden got ready to celebrate.