CHICAGO — On Saturday, greater than 200 St. Louis residents traveled to observe Jayson Tatum and the Celtics tackle the Bulls in Chicago, a recreation that resulted in a powerful 123-98 Celtics win.
It’s not the first time that diehard followers from Tatum’s hometown have made the 4.5-hour journey to Chicago to observe him play; Chicago is without doubt one of the closest NBA cities to St. Louis, and final yr, a conglomerate of followers launched into an analogous journey.
This time, nevertheless, the followers who boarded the MegaBus to observe Tatum play had been fortunate sufficient to witness an all-time nice efficiency: 43 factors (16-24 FG, 9-15 from three), 16 rebounds, and 10 assists.
It’s a stat line that has by no means been recorded in Celtics historical past. (Nor in NBA historical past, in the event you depend the 80% true capturing Tatum achieved). And, it’s one which followers within the United Middle watched in awe.
“That hometown love — being someone that folks from again residence assist and look as much as — means the world,” Tatum mentioned. “As a child, that’s all I ever needed, was to make it out of St. Louis and encourage folks again residence. For them to come back out and assist, it means the world to me.”
The final Celtic participant to document a 40-point triple-double was Larry Chook, who did so in 1992. And Tatum, who routinely references the legacy of greatness that he is part of, mentioned that being in the identical dialog because the three-time MVP was very significant.
“I believe Larry Chook might be the perfect participant to put on this uniform and anytime you accomplish one thing in the identical sentence as him is one thing particular,” Tatum mentioned after the win. “Even in the event you by no means attain that pinnacle, that’s the usual round right here. That’s the individual I’m chasing. It means so much to be in the identical sentence as him.”
What made the 43-point outburst notably attention-grabbing is that Tatum didn’t begin the sport scorching — he solely scored 3 factors within the first quarter.
However, he added 13 within the second quarter, and 18 factors within the third en path to his highest-scoring efficiency in practically a yr (he final exceeded that scoring complete with a 45-point outburst on January tenth in an extra time win towards the Timberwolves final season).
Joe Mazzulla mentioned he discovered his celebrity’s efficiency “fascinating.” When requested to broaden on that, he paused.
“I say this about him on a regular basis — as a result of he’s been doing nice issues for such a very long time, I nonetheless assume he will get taken without any consideration,” Mazzulla mentioned. “I nonetheless assume his greatness will get taken without any consideration — as a result of he’s performed it for a very long time, and it comes comparatively simple for him, and we’re in Boston, in order that’s the expectation.”
Joe Mazzulla on Jayson Tatum:
“As a result of he’s been doing nice issues for such a very long time, I nonetheless assume he will get taken without any consideration… as a result of he’s performed it for a very long time, and since it comes comparatively simple for him, and we’re in Boston, in order that’s the expectation.” pic.twitter.com/YApZdeO9jb
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) December 22, 2024
Kristaps Porzingis (22 factors, 7 rebounds) equally gushed about Tatum’s affect, and agreed together with his head coach that Tatum is underappreciated.
“He’s not a PR participant — he doesn’t do all the things only for PR,” Porzingis mentioned. “He really performs the suitable method. He doesn’t have to all the time rating 50. He’s hungry for successful. And that’s an enormous distinction.”
Porzingis joked that he felt Tatum bought credit score for a few of his rebounds within the field rating, earlier than praising Tatum’s rebounding capacity.
“Lots of people take him without any consideration… he is in a position to do all of it on the basketball courtroom,” Porzingis mentioned.
Tatum was one help wanting a triple-double when Mazzulla put him again within the recreation within the fourth quarter. He took benefit of the three.5-minute stint, recording the extremely coveted help and including three triples for good measure.
Mazzulla famous postgame that Tatum would by no means ask to sub again in to chase the triple-double.
“He wouldn’t foyer for that,” mentioned Mazzulla, cracking a definitive smile. “He wouldn’t. There’s been a couple of instances the place I’ve really not been paying consideration, and I didn’t put him again in, after which afterward I needed to apologize.”
Tatum, who has recorded three profession triple-doubles however has fallen simply quick dozens of instances, defined why he would by no means ask to sub into the sport in pursuit of a statline.
“I respect the sport an excessive amount of,” he mentioned. “And I really feel like if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. I’m not attempting to go on the market and present anyone up. I’m attempting to play the suitable method, and be the perfect participant I can all through the course of the sport. You respect the sport and it rewards you. I’ll have extra triple-doubles and extra 50-point video games the suitable method.”
On Saturday, the elusive triple-double was lastly achieved. And, maybe most meaningfully of all, he was in a position to do it in entrance of a crowd inundated with hometown supporters.
