"He dedicates his life to it" - Joe Mazzulla credits Jayson Tatum's workaholic attitude as Celtics maverick amasses 10,000 career points
Jayson Tatum unlocked a new career achievement as the Boston Celtics continued to be the only unbeaten team in the 2023-24 NBA season so far by beating the Brooklyn Nets.
In their 124-110 win against the Nets, which saw them improve to 5-0, Tatum made it to 10,000 career points. He became the 10th youngest player in the league and the youngest Celtics star ever to score those many points.
According to NBC Sports, the feat made him the only player at 25 to record 10,000 points, 3,000 rebounds, and 1,000 three-pointers. Tatum's milestone drew high praise from head coach Joe Mazzulla, who commended the rising star's workaholic approach to the game.
“He dedicates his life to it. He doesn’t miss days, he doesn’t miss games.”
Jayson Tatum continued his hot start to the season as he dropped a game-high 32 points against Brooklyn on Saturday. With 16 points needed to reach his landmark at the start of the game, he got there in the second quarter with a lay-up that earned him an and-1. He also added 11 rebounds to his stat sheet, with the 30+ point performance playing a key role in the team extending their dominant run this season.
Can Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics win the 2023-24 NBA championship?
Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics have fallen agonizingly short of their objective twice in the last two seasons.
While the 2022 season saw them go down to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, they were handed a Game 7 exit by the Miami Heat last season. Despite making a comeback after being down 0-3, the Celtics couldn't get over the line as Jimmy Butler and Co. proved to be the better unit.
Boston rang in the changes during the offseason to bolster their chances of winning a title. They traded away veteran presence Marcus Smart and added Kristaps Porzingis. They also added more teeth to their defense by acquiring Jrue Holiday, and the moves are already paying dividends. By extending Jaylen Brown, they ensured that the team had a new and improved core that would make them legitimate title contenders.
Jayson Tatum is coming off a stellar 2022-23 season, where he averaged a career-high 30.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists. This season, he's already hit his stride, with 29.4 points, 9.3 assists, and 4.0 rebounds in four games.
The Celtics and Tatum look poised for a title after winning it last against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2008. But with teams from both conferences still coming into their groove, Boston's ride is about to get a lot more challenging.