Subscribe
Follow Us
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum absolutely went off in the play-in game against the Washington Wizards, going for 50 points to lead his team to a 118-100 victory. The win locked up the No. 7 seed for the Celtics and set up a matchup against the Brooklyn Nets in the first round.
Tatum has come under some fire in the Boston media because of the Celtics' disappointing season. He directly addressed criticism of his leadership style after the game. The young star was also asked if a performance like this officially makes him part of that elite superstar class in the NBA. He doesn't really care about that.
“I don't know,” Tatum said when asked if performances like this one have officially pushed him into the game's superstar class. “I guess it helps. I don't really get caught up in those who think I'm a superstar and those that don't. What does that really mean? I know that my teammates, I've earned their respect. I've earned the respect of the guys I've played against and the coaches.
“I believe in myself, and that's all that matters.”
Tatum believing in himself is certainly all that mattered on Tuesday night. The Celtics star shot 14-of-32 from the field, 5-of-12 from 3-point range and a ridiculous 17-of-17 from the charity stripe. He got all the help he needed from Kemba Walker and his 29 points.
The 23-year-old has had a roller-coaster ride of a season, which is just one reason why Boston finished 36-36 to wind up in the play-in game. The Celtics youngster missed extended time with COVID-19 and admitted he dealt with aftereffects for a while even after he came back.
Even so, Tatum put up 26.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game this season. If he's not considered a superstar yet, he's pretty darn close. The Celtics don't have much of a chance against the Brooklyn Nets, but Tatum won't go down without a fight.
