For the second consecutive time, the final showdown in the Eastern Conference of the NBA will be contested between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat. In a dominant performance on their home turf last Sunday (14), the Boston team defeated the Philadelphia 76ers by 112 to 88, securing their spot in an extraordinary night led by Jayson Tatum.
With a total of 51 points, the Celtics’ star became the all-time leading scorer in a Game 7 of the playoffs.
Within just three minutes of the game, Tatum had already scored more points than the entire first half of Game 6. Displaying a superior performance compared to the previous matchup, the Celtics’ star took charge at home.
The first half of the game was still marked by a tense atmosphere, with technical fouls for Jaylen Brown and Georges Niang, as well as a flagrant foul committed by James Harden, resulting in a cut on Brown’s face after an attempted layup.
Fueled by the crowd and with their key player finding his form, the Boston team managed to turn the score around in the second quarter, taking a 55-52 lead into halftime.
Upon returning for the second half, what was a modest advantage turned into complete dominance by the Celtics in their own house. With overwhelming pressure, they controlled the game and opened up a significant lead on the scoreboard, while Tatum put on a true display.
The Sixers, who hadn’t reached a final since 2001, endured a six-minute period without scoring a single point in the third quarter. Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics paved their way back to the finals, with Tatum etching his name in history.
With a 26-point advantage, the Celtics entered the final quarter with the task of simply managing their lead and confirming their qualification, already anticipating the highly anticipated matchup with the Miami Heat in the finals. On the other hand, the 76ers bid farewell to the 2022-23 season, postponing their dream of success in the league.
ECF rematch starts Wednesday ✅ pic.twitter.com/pzalFZSVxo
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 15, 2023
