"It was in my mind that I played as bad as it could get for 42-43 minutes" - Jayson Tatum was confident that he would play well in Game 7

Jayson Tatum picked up where he left off in Game 6 by erupting for 51 points in the Boston Celtics' 112-88 Game 7 win against the Philadelphia 76ers. Tatum set the record for most points in a seventh game, breaking Steph Curry’s 50-point explosion against the Sacramento Kings a few weeks ago.

After eliminating Philly, this year’s All-Star game MVP had this to say:

“With our season on the line last game, I was just excited to get another opportunity today for myself to bounce back. I was relieved. I was happy about that. Our season could have been over in Game 6. It definitely was in my mind that I played as bad as it could get for 42-43 minutes.

“We had this saying, ‘It’s only up from here.’ To be honest, they had us on the ropes. … They had us and we figured out a way to win.”

Jayson Tatum was 0-6 to start Game 5 and then missed his first 14 shots in Game 6. He had one point after the first half in their last game and three points after three quarters. “JT,” however, saved the Celtics’ season by hitting four three-pointers in the fourth period and outscored the 76ers by himself 16-13 in the final period.

Tatum had no such struggles in Game 7 as he dropped 25 points in the first half. He had 11 in the first 12 minutes and added 14 more in the second quarter. The All-Star forward continued his blistering form by outscoring Philadelphia 17-10 in the third period.

Boston broke the game open in the third quarter by thrashing Philadelphia 33-10 in the frame. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart took turns in obliterating the 76ers in the said period.

Brown, Tatum’s co-star with the Celtics, had this to say about “JT’s” performance:

“Jayson Tatum just got it going. Get out of that man’s way. There was nothing they could do to stop him. They double-teamed him and he got guys wide open.

“When JT’s playing like that, we’re gonna be extremely hard to beat. … I think everybody should go buy some of them new JTs that he just dropped.”

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Jayson Tatum needs to be consistently good against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals

Jayson Tatum versus Jimmy Butler is the matchup everyone will be riveted on in the Eastern Conference Finals. Unlike Tatum, Butler’s been consistently great for the Heat in the playoffs. Boston’s superstar will have to step up every game against their rivals.

Tatum averaged 25.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.1 steals in seven games against the Heat in last year’s conference finals. He may need to put up better numbers to get past the gritty and resilient Miami team this season.

Jimmy Butler was nearly unstoppable in that series against the Boston Celtics. “JT” will need to step up on the defensive end to help contain “Jimmy Buckets.”

The Heat and the Celtics will meet for the third time in the last four years in the conference finals. They know each other very well. The team that could impose its will over the other will likely emerge as the Eastern Conference champs.

Boston needs Jayson Tatum to sustain his blistering form for a chance to beat the Miami Heat.

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