Tatum fires critics back and makes the NBA story quietly.

Jayson Tatum not only helped save the Celtics season on Saturday -he wrote NBA history.

With 22 points in the 115-93 road victory in Boston against the Knicks, Tatum adopted his idol Kobe Bryant for the second most common playoff points before he became 28 and only Lebron James was on the list of all times. The milestone came when the Celtics finally showed the kind of championship that was missing in games 1 and 2.

“They only understand what is connected to be this type,” said Tatum Postgame. “I get a lot of praise … but I'm not perfect. There are times when I had to play better. It comes to being this type.”
– (about @ZM_COX)

Tatum leads when Celtics provide the answer they needed

After Boston had blown the first team in the history of NBA history in two games in the back-to-back home playoff games, he came back to the Madison Square Garden and hit.

The Celtics opened game 3 with six threesome in their first seven attempts, built a 25-point half-time in the lead and never looked back. No collapse of the second half. No drama. Only business.

Payton Pritchard, the sixth man of the year of the NBA, led all goal scorers with 23 points in 34 minutes, scored five threes and hit the buzz of the first quarter with a cold -blooded floater.

Jaylen Brown and Derrick White added 36 points. Al Horford typed 15 of his own. But that night belonged to Tatum – which not only led, but also finished.

Tatum's milestone night in context

The statistics were not pretty for Tatum in this series – he only entered average 19.3 points when shooting 32.3% in game 3. But he came out with urgency, knocked two early threes and set the tone.

He also passed Kobe Bryant on the playoff goal list of all times before the 28th year of life a milestone, which underlines quietly how rarely his nach season production was in his career.

This time no collapse

Even when Jalen Brunson briefly triggered a run in the fourth and the lead shortened to 20, Boston never blinked. They sealed a four -minute defensive route that the Knicks holds on only two points.

This season, the Celtics improved to 34-8 on the street, including playoffs – and continued to hug it.Street dogsIdentity.

“You have to beat us four times,” said Jaylen Brown. “It depends … not twice, not even, not three times. Four games.”
– (about @Noadalzell)

Back in the fight

The Celtics are now taking series 2 to 1 with the chance to get out at MSG on Monday. You avoided a disaster. Now it's about building dynamics.

Tatum made history. But what is more important, he looked like this type again. And Boston finally looked like a team that was ready to defend his title.

Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist who covers the NBA for heavy.com and focuses on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. Previously, he wrote for Fansmed, NBA Analysis Network and Last Word on Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins