Jayson Tatum scored 51 points as the Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Celtics will now play the Miami Heat in the conference finals.
By scoring 51 points, the Celtics forward dethroned Stephen Curry. He is now the player with the most points scored in Game 7 of the playoff series.
Curry scored 50 in Game 7 against the Sacramento Kings two weeks ago.
Winning on Mother’s Day “Felt Great”
Despite NBA MVP Joel Embiid playing for the 76ers, Tatum was hands down the best player on the court.
In addition to scoring 51 points, he also had 13 rebounds, more than any player in the game, five assists, and two steals. Tatum was virtually everywhere.
Tatum said that winning against the 76ers “felt great,” especially as it was “a back-and-forth series.”
Last year’s NBA finalist admitted he didn’t play well in the previous game, particularly in the first half, so he was pleased to bounce back the way he did.
Tatum, who was recently included in the All-NBA First Team, said that it was great that the Celtics played at home for Game 7 and that the game coincided with Mother’s Day.
He dedicated his “special performance” to his mother.