(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The Boston Celtics needed to make a statement, and that’s exactly what they did.
Following an embarrassing double-digit home loss to the Miami Heat in Game 2, Joe Mazzulla’s squad rallied together to blow them out in three consecutive games.
Their latest win was particularly impressive, considering they didn’t even have Kristaps Porzingis on the floor.
Notably, a lot of that had to do with Jayson Tatum’s dominance.
Tatum has usually struggled in the playoffs, and particularly against the Heat, but that wasn’t the case this time around.
As shown by Adam Taylor on Twitter, Tatum totaled 109 points, 52 rebounds, and 27 assists on 41% from the floor in the series.
Outside his perimeter shooting, Tatum had a complete series against the Heat. Defended well, picked his spots, initiated the offense, controlled the glass, and did it all in the flow of the offense. I still want to see a takeover game from him during the postseason, though. pic.twitter.com/FPzfv4C6tH
— Adam Taylor (@AdamTaylorNBA) May 2, 2024
And while he doesn’t think he did a good job from the perimeter, he liked Tatum’s job as a defender, as well as how he operated within the flow of the offense and picked up his spots wisely.
There have never been doubts about Tatum’s talent, and he’s clearly one of the most impactful players in the game, even if his team is stacked with depth and talent.
However, some of his postseason performances have left plenty to be desired, and that has always been the narrative about him.
Fortunately, they’ve just gotten past their usual nemesis in the postseason.
They obviously still have plenty of work to do ahead of them, and they need to win twelve more games to win the NBA championship.
If Tatum keeps playing this way, they’ll always stand a chance, it doesn’t matter who they’re going against.
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