Celtics Jayson Tatum: “Obviously, 51 is big, but we played as a team”

The Boston Celtics rattled off their seventh straight win on Monday with a 130-118 victory over the Charlotte Hornets, however extending the win streak wasn’t the principle storyline that day. Jayson Tatum had an MVP-caliber efficiency towards the Hornets with a commanding 51 factors on 15-of-23 taking pictures, together with 7-of-12 from three together with 9 rebounds and 5 assists. Tatum’s monster efficiency has additional cemented his title within the MVP dialog, in addition to the historical past books.

Along with his recreation on Monday, Jayson Tatum handed Larry Fowl for essentially the most 50+ level performances in Celtics Franchise historical past, and tied Kobe Bryant for essentially the most 50+ level video games earlier than the age of 25. In what was a strong win for Boston, Tatum continued to show his generational skills, and did so with out operating mate Jaylen Brown by his facet; Brown remains to be sidelined with an adductor pressure.

“I feel I’ve been on document, Charlotte has all the time been considered one of my favourite locations to play on the street,” stated Tatum after listening to MVP chants rain down on him from the group at Spectrum Middle. “Simply from the group and the ambiance, being in North Carolina for a 12 months [when I attended Duke]. Clearly, you see a whole lot of Celtics jerseys, however I see a whole lot of Duke jerseys as effectively. So coming dwelling and feeling that help, it’s type of like my second dwelling. I all the time love coming again right here and taking part in.”

Tatum has established himself in franchise historical past in addition to the hierarchy of the NBA, and has constructed a official argument for MVP this season. He had come near breaking Fowl’s document earlier this season towards the Miami Heat, the place he netted 49 factors however took his foot off the fuel with lower than a minute left. In his postgame interview after the win over the Hornets, Tatum revealed somebody had reached out to him after that recreation particularly.

“The factor that was going by means of my thoughts was once I had 49 towards the Warmth earlier this season. I took a shot and we received the ball again, nevertheless it was like 50 seconds left, and I bear in mind…I simply waved them off. I didn’t go get the ball. Jamal Crawford texted me after the sport, and he was like ‘Man, should you’re ever that near 50, no person’s gonna bear in mind time and rating, they’re simply gonna document when you have 50 or not.’”

So, when Tatum received that shut towards Charlotte, he refused to let the chance slide previous him once more. “So when Al received that rebound and I used to be dribbling up the courtroom, that’s what was going by means of my thoughts,” stated Tatum, “Jamal telling me ‘For those who’re that near 50, go get it’, so once I had the ball and was dribbling up the courtroom, I used to be very conscious.”

Whereas Tatum had a terrific particular person recreation, it was the Celtics offense and passing that shone by means of within the win, with their capacity to create offense for one another that drove the win dwelling. The Celtics totaled 34 assists on the afternoon, along with taking pictures 46.5% from past the arc. Boston’s ball motion and shot creation have been on one other degree, and Tatum was on the coronary heart of it.

“Clearly, 51 is large, however we performed as a staff,” stated Tatum. “I feel that’s what’s been actually large for us these six or seven video games that we’ve been profitable. We’ve simply been capable of get the photographs that we wish and never let the protection dictate us on offense.” That was a serious critique of final 12 months’s staff to start out the 12 months, and there have been some shades of that very same pattern in the course of the early operating of this season as effectively.

The Celtics will face one other large take a look at on Thursday night time after two days off, as they return to TD Backyard to welcome the Golden State Warriors to city. This would be the second time the 2 groups will face off after the Celtics have been run off the ground towards the Warriors on the street in December.