Celtics Force Game 7 Behind Tatum’s Big Fourth Quarter
Jayson Tatum through most of Game 6 did not have a game to remember. With the encouragement of his teammates and a talk with his coach, he stayed confident.
Coach Joe Mazzulla had one message for Tatum in a late timeout.
“I love you,” Mazzulla told Tatum. “That’s a pretty powerful statement.”
Through 3 ½ quarters of the game, Tatum was ineffective. He missed his first 15 of 16 shots and missed six 3s. After a small talk with the coach, Mazzulla Tatum rewarded his coach’s love with some 3s to put the Celtics over the top 95-86.
Tatum hit one 3 to take an 84-83 lead and then hit another 3 to take an 87-83 lead to take control of the game. The last 3 took the crowd out of it but Tatum was not done. He hit another one to put the dagger in the Sixers to go up 95-84.
The position the Celtics are in is not new to them. Last year they were down 3-2 to the Milwaukee Bucks before taking Game 6 and winning in Game 7.
For the first time since 2001, the Sixers had a chance to go to the Eastern Conference finals. Through the first half, the Sixers looked a step slower than the Celtics. Joel Embiid would turn to MVP form and help the Sixers grab the lead heading into the fourth. In the third Georges Niang hit two key 3s and then Embiid hit a pull-up mid-range to tie the game at 81.
With 5:25 left to go Tyrese Maxey made two free throws to put the Sixers up 83-81. After that, everything went downhill for them. They didn’t make a basket in the last 6:13 of the game. The Sixers could not close missing 15 of 20 shots and all eight 3s in a decisive fourth quarter.
“We stopped moving the ball,” Embiid said. “I don’t think I touched the ball the last 4 minutes of the game. Missed a lot of good looks. I didn’t touch the ball, though.”
Tatum finished with 19 points on 5-for-21 shooting but all that mattered was that he hit the shots when they needed him the most. The Celtics took a 40-26 lead because Malcolm Brogdon had three 3s but also made sure Embiid, James Harden, and Tobias Harris were ineffective.
If the Celtics want to win they have to get more out of Tatum, he has to get going early because another 1-for-15 is not acceptable for a player of his caliber. Moving Robert Williams back into the starting lineup was good and helped in the pick-and-roll.
For the Sixers, Embiid has to have one of his best games and so does Harden. Embiid needs to ball at the end of the game to draw doubles and get shooters open. Harris also needs to step up and hit shots and help control the boards as he did in Game 5.
Game 7 will be Sunday where the winner will play the winner of the Miami Heat and New York Knicks series.
These Celebrities Have A May Birthday
People born in the month of May are either Taurus (May 1st to May 20th) or Gemini in the last ten days of the month (May 21st to May 31st). Taurus is an Earth sign. This sign’s traits include being hard-headed yet down-to-earth. Taurus signs are known to be tenacious, reliable, loyal, and achievement-oriented. As a sign, Taurus is a fixed sign, which means Taureans are excellent at prioritizing consistency and reliability in all areas of their lives.
Given that their ruling planet is Venus, the planet that governs love, beauty, and money, Tauruses tend to be artistic and romantic. This sign is represented by the bull, and Tauruses born in May are enchanted by luxurious objects and are very sensual. May Tauruses are known for being loyal, dependable, and trustworthy. Since May Tauruses are co-ruled by either Mercury, the planet of logistics, or Saturn, the planet of responsibility, they tend to be more work- and detail-oriented than their April-born counterparts.
May Gemini Traits
Geminis are an air sign symbolized by the celestial twins. Because of this sign’s inherent duality, they Geminis are often represented as being two-faced. Geminis are known to be social the social butterflies of the zodiac. They are talkative and whimsical, but they can also be indecisive or nosy. Gemini typically constantly juggles a variety of passions, hobbies, and careers.
May Geminis, like May Tauruses, are ruled by Mercury. Geminis born this month tend to have the most stereotypical quirks of the sign. That includes being witty, mischievous, and curious about people and the world around them. As a mutable sign, May Geminis go with the flow, can multi-task easier, and are more flexible than June Gems.
Some of the most legendary singers and actors were born in the month of May.
These Celebrities Have A May Birthday:
