On a night when Jayson Tatum was conjuring images of Celtics legend Larry Bird, the 24-year-old superstar made one thing abundantly clear – winning is all that matters to him. Tatum delivered a performance for the ages on Saturday, pouring in 43 points to go along with 16 rebounds and 10 assists in Boston’s dominant 123-98 victory over the Chicago Bulls.
The eye-popping stat line marked Tatum’s first career 40-point triple-double, a feat last accomplished by a Celtic when Bird notched 49 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists in a double-overtime thriller against the Trail Blazers back in 1992. The parallels between the two performances were not lost on Tatum.
“Larry Bird is probably the best player to ever wear this uniform. So any time you accomplish something in the same sentence as him, it’s something special, even if you never reach that pinnacle.”
Jayson Tatum
A Second Half Explosion
While Tatum’s final numbers were undeniably impressive, it was his second half surge that ultimately buried the Bulls. With the score knotted at 42-42 midway through the second quarter, Tatum began to find his rhythm. The Celtics closed the half on a 19-12 run to take a 61-54 lead into the break.
But Tatum was just getting started. He erupted for 18 points in the third quarter as Boston used a 19-8 spurt to blow the game wide open, taking a commanding 93-77 advantage into the final frame. Tatum was surgical in his attack, connecting on 9-of-15 from beyond the arc and 16-of-24 from the field overall.
“As a basketball player, you feel the rhythm, the ball is finding you…Obviously tonight, I’m scoring a lot and getting rebounds. It just looks different on a given night.”
Jayson Tatum
Mazzulla Marvels at Tatum’s Brilliance
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has continually challenged Tatum to elevate not only his own game, but the performance of those around him. On this night, Mazzulla believed Tatum rose to that challenge and then some.
“He went outside what we normally do and that’s a testament to him. Just his shot-making, his decision-making, his ability to rebound. I thought he kind of controlled the entire game.”
Joe Mazzulla
Chasing Banner 18
As the defending NBA champions, the Celtics entered this season with a massive target on their backs. But thanks in large part to Tatum’s MVP-caliber play, Boston has picked up right where it left off. The C’s sit atop the Eastern Conference standings with a sparkling 27-8 record following Saturday’s rout of Chicago.
With Tatum performing at a level few in franchise history have reached, the comparisons to Celtics greats like Bird are beginning to feel more and more apt. But true to form, Tatum cares little for individual accolades or statistical achievements. His sights are set squarely on leading Boston to a record 18th NBA title.
One breathtaking performance at a time, Tatum is making that goal look more and more attainable. The names in the record books may change, but the championship aspiration that has defined the Celtics for the better part of a century remains as steadfast as ever. With Tatum leading the charge, Banner 18 feels tantalizingly within reach.
