Celtics wax 76ers x-x in Game 7, head to Eastern Conference Finals

The Celtics offense was heavily predicated on attacking the rim. In the first half alone, Boston attempted just 33 3-pointers, opting instead to challenge Philadelphia right at the cup. After a season of prioritizing shooting, pace, and analytics, the Celtics settled into a much more aggressive groove.

Jayson Tatum in particular was in attack mode right from the jump. He had no trouble getting into the paint, blowing by Sixers defenders with almost alarming consistency. When his 3-point shot came alive in the second half, it was blouses for the Sixers. Sunday represented Tatum’s highest-scoring postseason performance in his career, with 13 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steal to boot.

Tatum’s unbelievable offensive gravity helped his teammates considerably. Attacking the rim remained the priority for the entire team in green, though it generated some seriously open looks from 3. Boston shot an efficient 15-for-33 from deep, with 18 assists and just 7 turnovers. It was a scoring clinic with the season on the line.