Celtics' Jayson Tatum: Does it all in Game 5 victory
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Tatum had 31 points (11-24 FG, 1-7 3Pt, 8-8 FT), 11 assists, eight rebounds and two steals across 45 minutes during Monday's 106-88 win over the Mavericks in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
Tatum had an all-time classic of a game to help deliver Boston banner No. 18 on Monday. The five-time All-Star was the first Celtics player since Larry Bird in 1986 with 20-plus points, 10-plus assists and five-plus rebounds in an NBA Finals game. The 26-year-old averaged 22.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.6 blocks across five contests in the Finals. Overall, Tatum was spectacular in the 2023-24 playoffs, averaging 25.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.7 blocks while shooting 42.7 percent from the field. The Celtics will look to repeat their success next season, as Tatum and Jaylen Brown will attempt to lead the team to back-to-back titles.
Celtics' Jayson Tatum: So-so line in woeful team showing
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Tatum chipped in 15 points (4-10 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 6-6 FT), five rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal across 27 minutes during Friday's 122-84 loss to the Mavericks in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
The Celtics had a dreadful showing on both ends of the court Friday, as they suffered one of the most lopsided defeats in the history of the NBA Finals. Tatum didn't have a good shooting performance, but his 15-point output aligned with the numbers he'd been posting during the last few games with the exception of his 31-point effort in Game 3. Tatum and the rest of the Celtics will look to bounce back to close out the series Monday at home.
Celtics' Jayson Tatum: Explodes for 31 points in Game 3
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Tatum ended with 31 points (11-26 FG, 4-13 3Pt, 5-5 FT), six rebounds, five assists and one steal over 42 minutes during Wednesday's 106-99 victory over the Mavericks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
After relatively poor scoring in Games 1 and 2, Tatum paced the Celtics with 31 points on what was still a poor shooting night for the All-NBA forward. The absence of Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) forced Tatum and Jaylen Brown (30 points) to shoulder more of the scoring load. Tatum was up for the challenge. He is still shooting a poor 35.9 from the field during the Finals, but a 3-0 lead is likely more important to the seven-year veteran. Tatum and the Celtics will look to finish the Finals in Dallas on Friday.
