Tatum sets Game 7 record with 51 points, Celtics beat 76ers 112-88
BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum scored 51 points with 13 rebounds and the Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 112-88 to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the second straight year. Tatum’s total is the most in a Game 7 in NBA history. Tatum had a slow start in the past two games but he scored 25 in the back-and-forth first half and 17 more in Boston’s 33-10 third quarter that turned a three-point lead into a runaway. The Celtics will face the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals. They begin on Wednesday in Boston.
Grizzlies suspend Ja Morant after another gun video appears on social media
Memphis guard Ja Morant has been suspended by the Grizzlies after another social media video in which he appears to be holding a gun. The NBA is looking into the matter. The Grizzlies say Morant is suspended from all team activities “pending league review.” The video shows Morant in the front seat of a vehicle, appearing to hold the gun while someone filmed him and broadcast it live over Instagram. Morant was suspended by the NBA for eight games this season after the All-Star guard was seen on video holding a gun at a club in the Denver suburbs. The league said the March suspension was for “conduct detrimental to the league.”
Phoenix Suns fire coach Monty Williams after 4 seasons with the club
The Phoenix Suns fired Monty Williams on Saturday, two years after reaching the NBA Finals and a year after he was the overwhelming choice as the coach of the year. Williams had great success in his four regular seasons in Phoenix, winning 63% of his games. But three consecutive years of playoff frustration was likely too much for the Suns to overlook — especially after two straight years of Phoenix trailing by 30 points at halftime of elimination games at home.