and others
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The thing about records is that they're meant to be broken, regardless of how fresh — or old — the record is.
On Sunday, Jayson Tatum broke a two-week-old record by scoring 51 points in a win over the 76ers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. In doing so, he broke a record set by Stephen Curry in Game 7 of the opening round of these same playoffs.
Tatum was nothing short of spectacular when it mattered most, taking over during an extended stretch in which Boston ran away to ultimately earn a 24-point win. In addition to his 51 points on 17-of-28 shooting, Tatum pulled down 13 rebounds and dished out five assists.
And Tatum electrified the TD Garden crowd with his every move.
— NBA (@NBA) May 14, 2023THE JAYSON TATUM GAME 🗣️
51 PTS (Game 7 NBA record)
13 REB
5 AST
6 3PMCeltics advance to the ECF ‼️#NBAPlayoffs presented by @GooglePixel_US pic.twitter.com/Y8UT8jC1lV
Thanks in large part to Tatum's performance, the Celtics are advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals for a rematch with the Heat, who they eliminated in seven games last year.
As Tatum has rewritten history, The Sporting News takes an updated look at the history books.
MORE:Best highlights from Game 7 of Celtics vs. 76ers
Who has the most points in an NBA Playoffs Game 7?
Tatum now holds the NBA record for most points in a Game 7. Tatum's outing is just the second 50-point game in any Game 7 in NBA Playoff history.
The previous record was set by Curry, who had 50 points in a 120-100 win over the Kings in Game 7 of the opening round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
Here's how other outings stack up to Tatum's:
| Player | Points | Playoffs | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jayson Tatum | 51 | 2023 | 112-88 win vs. 76ers |
| Stephen Curry | 50 | 2023 | 120-110 win vs. Kings |
| Kevin Durant | 48 | 2021 | 115-111 loss vs. Bucks (OT) |
| Dominique Wilkins | 47 | 1988 | 118-116 loss vs. Celtics |
| Sam Jones | 47 | 1963 | 142-131 win vs. Royals |
| Luka Doncic | 47 | 2021 | 126-111 loss to Clippers |
| Kevin Johnson | 46 | 1995 | 115-114 loss to Rockets |
| LeBron James | 45 | 2018 | 105-101 win vs. Pacers |
| LeBron James | 45 | 2008 | 97-92 loss to Celtics |
| Allen Iverson | 44 | 2001 | 108-91 win vs. Bucks |
| Charles Barkley | 44 | 1993 | 123-110 win vs. SuperSonics |
Author(s)
Gilbert McGregor is an NBA content producer for The Sporting News.
