With the Miami Heat leading, Jayson Tatum will have to put his team on his back.
Jayson Tatum is going to play for the Boston Celtics for a long time, that much is consensus. But he hasn’t yet had the defining moment that starts his Boston Legacy. Some might say it’s his dunk on LeBron James in the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals, but that doesn’t feel like enough.
No, what would really kickstart his potential 15-20 year career with the Celtics would be rising to the occasion with his team facing elimination in the postseason, in a big way.
Given the semantic nature of NBA fans, I’m sure most of you reading this would gladly point me to his zero-point first half in Game 4. Yes, I get it, Tatum laid a goose egg in two halves of basketball.
But it’s what he followed up with, in the third and fourth quarter that lead me to think he’ll have a big night. Tatum finished Game 4 with 28 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and three blocks. The gambling man in me wants to tell you he’s more likely to pick up where he left off of than not.
Having scored 28 points in his last two quarters, it seems like a safe bet.
So yes, watch for Jayson Tatum to have a big Game 5 performance against the Miami Heat, no matter the result for his Boston Celtics. His team is sitting with their backs against the wall and facing elimination. It’s what players of his caliber were built for and dream of.