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Celtics’ 121-87 win over 76ers was largest margin of victory in which Jayson Tatum was held to 10 points or less

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Updated04 May 2023

Celtics 121-87 win over 76ers was largest margin of victory in which Jayson Tatum was held to 10 points or less

The Boston Celtics’ 121-87 second-round win against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 2 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs was their largest margin of victory in which Jayson Tatum was held to fewer than 10 points. Foul trouble kept him off the court.

The four-time All-Star ended his outing with seven points, seven rebounds, three assists, and one block in 20 minutes of action. Tatum also shot 1-of-7 (14.3%) from the floor and missed all three 3-point attempts.

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Jaylen Brown closed out his performance with 25 points, three boards, four assists, and two steals in 31 minutes. Brown shot 9-of-17 (52.9%) from the field and 3-of-6 (50%) beyond the arc.

“We just got to take more pride in ourselves,” Brown said after Game 2. “I felt like we underperformed last game, and we wanted to come out and play to the best of our ability. That’s what we did.”

Celtics’ 121-87 victory against 76ers in Game 2 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs was their largest margin of victory in which Jayson Tatum was held to fewer than 10 points

Boston’s 34-point win is their third best margin of victory ever in a playoff game. Jayson Tatum scoring less than 15 points in wins over the Sixers has become a trend this season. In Boston’s 106-99 victory against Philadelphia on Feb. 8, Tatum was held to 12 points at home in 38 minutes played.

Additionally, in the Celtics’ Game 1 loss, the team attempted a season-low 26 3-pointers. However, Boston knocked down 20 of its 51 3-pointers in Game 2. Boston hit seven 3s in the third quarter, leading to the C’s outscoring the 76ers 35-16 to start the second half.

Marcus Smart added 15 points, five boards, two assists, and one block. “We got to tip our hats to [Brown], he started that whole momentum for us,” the ninth-year guard said. “We just had to follow his lead.

“When you’ve got one of your best players setting the tone like that, it’s hard for you not to follow. Our defense has been slipping, and we wanted to come out and get back to what we do best.”

After evening the series, the Celtics will now square off against the Sixers at Wells Fargo Center in Games 3 and 4. Entering Game 3 this Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET, sportsbooks show Boston as a 1.5-point favorite. Though, according to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, Philadelphia has a 57.3% chance of winning Game 3.

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