Jayson Tatum finally reached the mountaintop last season when the Boston Celtics won the NBA championship, but public reaction, coupled with his lack of minutes in the Paris Olympics, do not reflect such status. Hence, he might be coming into the 2024-25 NBA season as motivated as ever.
His sweltering start in Tuesday night’s opener against the New York Knicks suggests as much. Tatum scored 25 points in the first half, going 6-of-9 from behind the 3-point line. He added seven assists, four rebounds and a steal to lead a relentless Celtics attack. Boston was up 74-55 at the break, picking up where it left off in June.
Tatum did not just dominate; he made sure to get the crowd involved in the fun. After draining his fifth 3-pointer, the three-time All-NBA First-Teamer winked to the fans, via ClutchPoints. He is in the zone right now, which, in turn, is opening the floor up for the entire Boston offense.
A clearly motivated Jayson Tatum looks to elevate Celtics even more
The Celtics made 17 treys in the first half, tying the franchise record. They are imposing their will on the team that many consider to be the reigning champions’ biggest threat to a repeat title run. While this is undeniably an impressive group effort, it is particularly notable to see Tatum begin his eighth season on a brilliant note.
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When Jaylen Brown claimed 2024 NBA Finals MVP honors, it unfortunately added to the narrative that Jayson Tatum cannot be the No. 1 guy on a championship-winning squad. Being benched by Steve Kerr for much of the Olympics only added fuel to the fire. His excellence speaks for itself, however. He has arguably remained one of the five or six best players in the world for the last three years and is responsible for plenty of triumphant postseason moments. And oh yeah, the man is only 26 years of age.
Fans’ perception of him may not change, but Tatum seems intent on firmly invalidating any further skepticism that comes his way. And true to himself and the Celtics, he is doing so in understated style.