Duke basketball product Jayson Tatum turned in the best Game 7 in NBA history.
The pendulum swinging from awful to amazing has been stark even for a player like Duke basketball standout Jayson Tatum.
Tatum was bluntly awful through the first three quarters of Game Six as the Boston Celtics faced elimination against the Philadelphia 76ers.
However, like the great players do, Tatum came alive in the fourth quarter as he outscored the entire 76ers team, 16-13, to force a Game Seven in Boston on Sunday afternoon and put the Celtics back on the brink of an Eastern Conference Finals berth.
And the hot shooting from the fourth quarter in Game Six carried over to Game Seven.
Tatum went wild for 51 points, the most points ever scored in a Game 7 in NBA history, as Boston throttled Philadelphia in the second half to win, 112-88.
THE JAYSON TATUM GAME 🗣️
— NBA (@NBA) May 14, 2023
51 PTS (Game 7 NBA record)
13 REB
5 AST
6 3PM
Celtics advance to the ECF ‼️#NBAPlayoffs presented by @GooglePixel_US pic.twitter.com/Y8UT8jC1lV
The former Blue Devil also added 13 rebounds, five assists, and two steals to his stat line which saw him connect on 17-of-28 field goal attempts, 6-of-10 3-pointers, and 11-of-14 free throws.
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Golden State Warrior superstar Steph Curry set the scoring record for a Game 7 performance just two weeks ago with 50 points against the Sacramento Kings.
Duke basketball star on trajectory for legendary status
Jayson Tatum, in his sixth season in the NBA, will be appearing in his fourth Eastern Conference Finals at just 25 years old.
He now has a 50-point game in the regular season, All-Star Game, Play-In Tournament, playoff game, and in a Game 7, according to ESPN Stats & Info.
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Tatum will have the chance to redeem himself after Boston fell in the NBA Finals last year to the Golden State Warriors, but are now just four victories away from trying to complete their redemption tour.
The Celtics have a rematch against the Miami Heat from last season’s Eastern Conference Finals which begins on Wednesday night, May 17, at 8:30p.m. (TNT).