Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics started the new season off in a big way. They took down Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers in a close contest, winning 126-117.
Tatum stole the show in the Celtics victory. He picked up right where he left off last season, recording 35 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block. On his way to stuffing the stat sheet, he also joined the Celtics history books once again.
The last Boston Celtics to drop 35+ points and 10+ rebounds in the first game of a season:
Paul Pierce (11/3/2004)
Jayson Tatum (10/18/2022) pic.twitter.com/bJkUacfiKQ— NBA History (@NBAHistory) October 19, 2022
Tatum became the first Celtics player to record 35-plus points and 10-plus rebounds in a game since Paul Pierce. The feat took nearly 18 years to achieve again, with Pierce doing it in November of 2004.
Along with Tatum’s success, the rest of the Celtics played well. Jaylen Brown finished the day with a matching 35 points, along with three rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block.
Marcus Smart, Grant Williams, and Malcolm Brogdon all made their presence felt on the stat sheet as well. Each of them scored in the double figures.
The 76ers, while failing to slow down Tatum and Brown, had a good day themselves. Embiid finished with 26 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists. His counterpart James Harden put together a strong offensive performance with the ball in his hands. He finished with 35 points.
The pair of Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris also had a solid outing for the 76ers. They combined for 39 points.
Jayson Tatum and the Celtics have high hopes for this season. It could very well be championship or bust for this unit.
The same goes for Embiid and the 76ers. Each of these teams is built to win now. This will be the first of many intense matchups between the two sides.
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