When Jayson Tatum has it going, it’s clear to everyone in the stadium. In some ways, all fans, teammates and even opponents can do is watch as he elevates his game to startling heights. That’s what happened in the Celtics’ blowout win over the Bulls on Saturday, where Tatum’s massive triple-double paced the victory.
But what’s unique about Tatum’s performance comes from his smoothness within the game. He wasn’t necessarily forcing up shots, but instead making the right reads and taking the right looks. It’s why he was able to finish with 43 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists on 9-for-15 3-point shooting — the first-ever Celtics player to hit those lofty marks.
“He’s not like a (personal record) player — he doesn’t do everything just for PR,” Kristaps Porzingis told reporters in Chicago, via NBC Sports Boston. “He actually plays the right play. He doesn’t always need to score 50. He’s hungry for winning, and there is like a big difference. A lot of people take him for granted. … He’s able to do it all on the basketball court. That’s the beautiful part about him.”
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said Tatum is taken for granted and should be more in the MVP conversation. But he also conceded that it doesn’t help Tatum is on such a strong team like the Celtics. Still, Mazzulla was vocal that his star player should be in more of those discussions and garner more praise.
Of course, Tatum is already a proven superstar in the league. The critics lost a lot of ammo last season when he helped lead the Celtics to the 2024 NBA championship. The victors get to write history, and Tatum’s name is firmly entrenched within the Celtics’ storied franchise. It doesn’t hurt that he’s also been named an All-Star the past five years, plus, his first-team All-NBA honors the past three seasons.
So while Tatum might not always get his flowers, all he can do is keep winning. It helps that the Celtics are again one of the best teams in the league. They have yet to hit their peak as they can wait a few more months until the NBA Playoffs, where they’ll be one of the favorites with a real shot at going back-to-back. And Tatum will be right in the spotlight again.
“He’s been doing great things for such a long time,” Mazzulla said. “I still think his greatness gets taken for granted because he’s done it for a long time and it comes relatively easy to him. And we’re in Boston, so that’s the expectation. It was a big-time performance by him.”
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