Analyst lauds Jayson Tatum for establishing himself in NBA: “When LeBron won his 1st title, Jayson Tatum was in 6th grade”
The Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum would have been around 13 years old, a little off ESPN analyst Tim Legler's estimation when James won his first title with the Miami Heat in 2012. Tatum recently got to share the stage with James.
“When LeBron won his 1st title, Jayson Tatum was in 6th grade” - Tim Legler
Jayson Tatum starred with a 44-point performance as the Boston Celtics defeated the LA Lakers 122-118 in an overtime thriller on Tuesday night. He also added 9 rebounds and 6 assists to help Boston stop a two-game losing streak.
In a game between the two most storied franchises in NBA history, the stars stepped up and played high-level basketball. The Lakers got 37 points and 12 rebounds from Anthony Davis, while LeBron James added 33 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Tatum had some backup from Jaylen Brown, who provided 25 points, 15 rebounds and five assists.
Legler, a former NBA player, was impressed with Tatum’s performance.
"That, for me, was a signature moment so far for Jayson Tatum this season and maybe his career," Legler said.
Legler discussed the age difference between Jayson Tatum, who turns 25 in March, and LeBron James, who turns 38 on Dec. 30. This was Tatum’s moment to take his game to the next level against an all-time great. Having a big game against the Lakers is a signature moment for the six-year veteran.
Tatum is no stranger to James and has witnessed his greatness firsthand as a rookie in the Eastern Conference finals. The younger player may now be seeing a change of guard where he is the big fish in the NBA.
.@LegsESPN feels Jayson Tatum's performance against the Lakers was career-defining ☘️
"That, for me, was a signature moment so far for Jayson Tatum this season and maybe his career." https://t.co/gKHrCIenK0
The Celtics (22-7) are in first place in the Eastern Conference. If Tatum continues to play at this level, the team will be in good shape as it tries to get to the NBA Finals. He leads a team that tops the league in scoring with 119.4 points per game.
Can Jayson Tatum become a Celtics great?
The Boston Celtics are one of the NBA's most storied franchises. For a player to get his jersey retired as a Celtic is a high honor and hard to achieve. Jayson Tatum is now in his sixth season with the team and may be on his way to becoming one of those all-time greats.
Tatum is a three-time All-Star and will probably be one this season, too. He took the Celtics to the NBA Finals last season and won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP. This year, he is averaging a career-high 30.2 ppg and grabbing 8.3 rebounds along with 4.1 assists per game. He is a strong contender for league MVP.
NBA.com’s updated MVP Ladder 👀
1. Jayson Tatum
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo
3. Luka Doncic
4. Nikola Jokic
5. Ja Morant
6. Devin Booker
7. Donovan Mitchell/Kevin Durant
9. Anthony Davis
10. Zion Williamson
If Tatum can lead the Celtics to an NBA title, he will be well on his way to becoming one of the Boston greats.