Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Here's What Stood Out in Game 7 Win vs. Sixers: Celtics Save Their Best Performance for When They Needed it Most
Sunday at TD Garden, with the reigning MVP anchoring the opposition, Jayson Tatum seized the moment, made history, and enriched his legacy.
The four-time All-Star's 51 points are the most in a Game 7. Between that and his 13 rebounds, also the most in the matchup, he joins Larry Bird, John Havlicek, and Paul Pierce as the only Celtics to have a 40/10 game in the playoffs.
From switches to drop coverage and cycling through primary defenders, as the Sixers spun the dial, Tatum made light work of every potential solution they came up with.
His running mate, and now a fellow All-NBA member, Jaylen Brown, registered 25 points, six rebounds, two steals, and two blocks in the win.
The two have led Boston to at least the Eastern Conference Finals in four of their first six years together. Making that even more impressive is that Brown, 26, is just entering his prime. Tatum, 25, isn't even there yet.
The other star in the hosts' 112-88 thumping of their rivals from Philadelphia, outscoring the visitors 57-36 in the second half, was their defense.
The Celtics' on-ball pressure was suffocating, and their help defense swarmed, limiting the Sixers to 37.3 percent shooting, including 8/37 (21.6 percent) from beyond the arc.
That and taking care of the ball (eight turnovers) kept the score close before Tatum went supernova, and Boston broke the game open in the third quarter.
With their season on the line, the Celtics picked an ideal day to deliver their best performance this season.
Now, for a deep dive into what stood out from their victory.
1. The first frame was a rock fight. That was due to sound execution defensively and quality shots missing the mark.
But the Sixers led 29-23 after 12 minutes, largely thanks to P.J. Tucker. The fiery veteran, who the Celtics have been willing to leave open in the corners, knocked down 3/5 threes as he matched Jayson Tatum's 11 points, the most in the opening period.
Tucker's capitalizing on what the hosts were willing to live with defensively is the primary reason Philadelphia shot 11/22 from the field in the first quarter.
2. But at the other end, Tatum playing aggressively to start Game 7 was a welcome sign for Boston. He often attacked downhill, including multiple instances he passed up threes to drive to the basket. That approach translated to 4/8 shooting and four free throws, the most in the first 12 minutes.
The Celtics had good looks that didn't go down but had more possessions where they struggled to find a pressure point to exploit. They shot 36 percent from the field in the opening frame.
3. Trailing 35-27, Boston used James Harden's hitting Jaylen Brown in the face, a cheap shot that earned the former a flagrant-1, as a springboard. With the crowd roaring to life, the hosts harnessed the energy from their displeasure with Harden's actions to stage a 6-0 burst that was part of a 9-0 run, evening the score at 35.
4. Brown staying aggressive in a second quarter he played the duration of resulted in him registering nine of his 13 first-half points.
Tatum, who played most of the period (9:03), led all scorers with 14 points. The four-time All-Star knocked down 5/8 shots. He utilized his mid-range jumper, and even with Tobias Harris living in his air space, he consistently got downhill, often using his spin move to get to the basket, where he was finishing more effectively than in the last two games.
The two-time All-NBA First Team member entered halftime with 25 points and seven rebounds, leading all participants -- Joel Embiid only had one board -- and his four assists were the most on the Celtics.
5. With Boston locking in defensively and turning the turbo shot that was Harden's flagrant foul into fuel to attack the basket with regularity, the hosts held the Sixers to 23 points on 36.8 percent shooting, including 1/7 (14.3 percent) from beyond the arc in the second quarter.
Those stops, including four turnovers, leading to nine points, made it easier for the Celtics to play with pace, helping them put 32 points on the board, entering the break with a 55-52 edge.
6. With Tatum leading the way, Boston caught fire in the third frame. By the 6:14 mark, the four-time All-Star had 13 points in the period, burying all four shots he took, including three from beyond the arc.
And when Philadelphia doubled him near half court, he lofted the ball to Al Horford, who found Brown for a three from the right wing. The All-NBA Second Team wing then turned and blew a kiss to the raucous crowd.
Brown knocked down another one off a feed from Horford at the 5:18 mark, extending the hosts' advantage to 76-58.
7. At the other end of the court, suffocating on-ball pressure and swarming help defense stifled the Sixers, who only scored ten points in the third quarter.
Conversely, the Celtics erupted for 33 points on 11/19 (57.9 percent) shooting, including faring 8/12 (66.7 percent) from three-point range.
Their 28-3 run seemed to snatch the heart of an opposition that didn't look like it wanted to be out there. They entered the final frame with an 88-62 lead in front of a frenzied home crowd.
8. While Philadelphia showed fight in the fourth quarter, Boston kept its foot on the gas, with Tatum tacking on nine more points in less than five minutes and a defensive effort that included Marcus Smart elevating to thwart a De'Anthony Melton layup.
Maintaining focus and energy -- and continuing to protect the ball -- kept the lead hovering around 20 as the Celtics put the finishing touches on their best performance of the season, a 112-88 victory to reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the fourth time in the last six years.
Up Next
The Celtics are on to an Eastern Conference Finals rematch with the Miami Heat. Game 1 is Wednesday in Boston. Inside The Celtics will have content previewing the series, including coverage from Tuesday's media availability, before then.
Further Reading
Celtics Praise Joe Mazzulla for Game 6 Adjustments That Helped Save Their Season
Celtics Discuss Jayson Tatum Rising to the Occasion, Forcing a Game 7
Celtics Share Their Perspective on Failing to Meet the Moment in Game 5 Loss to Sixers
Joe Mazzulla Explains Why He Didn't Take a Timeout in Celtics' Game 4 Loss to Sixers
Film Room: Recalibrating Celtics' Defense for Game 2 Against Sixers
