"Trying to stay out of his f**king way" - Marcus Smart on what he's doing when Jayson Tatum is on the offensive for the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum turned 24 on Thursday (March 3), and he celebrated it in style.
Two nights after his 33-point performance against Atlanta, Tatum dropped 37 points, six rebounds, and five assists to power the Celtics to a 120-107 win against the Memphis Grizzlies.
The 24-year-old was at his offensive best as he scored 21 of his 37 points in the keenly-contested fourth quarter and shot 14-of-25 overall (56.0%) from the field.
Jayson Tatum goes off for 21 of his 37 points in the 4th quarter, celebrating his 24th birthday with a @celtics win!
Al Horford: 21 PTS, 15 REB, 5 AST, 2 BLK
Marcus Smart: 18 PTS, 12 AST
Ja Morant: 38 PTS https://t.co/pYUW2iJeAg
Marcus Smart, who had a double-double with 18 points and 12 assists versus the Grizzlies, was asked about Tatum's terrific offensive game in a post-match interaction.
When asked about what he does when his teammate is in such good form, the Celtics guard gave a funny reply. He said:
"Trying to stay out of his f**king way."
Marcus Smart on what he's doing when Jayson Tatum has it going on offense: "Trying to stay out of his fucking way."
Tatum himself credited the fans for his high-scoring fourth quarter, during which he scored 21 points. His teammates scored 16 points in the same period. Here's what he had to say about the atmosphere at the TD Garden:
"It was a lot of fun. The place was electric tonight."
Jayson Tatum on the fourth quarter tonight vs the Grizzlies: "It was a lot of fun. The place was electric tonight."
Jayson Tatum helps Boston Celtics turn 2021-22 season around
The Boston Celtics are having an incredible run at the moment. Having gone 25-25 over the course of their first 50 games of the season, the Celtics have now gone 13-2 in their last 15 contests. They won nine straight matchups between January 29 and February 15 to turn their 2021-22 campaign around.
When asked for the reason behind the team's improved play over the last 35-odd days, Jayson Tatum said:
"We're playing with a lot more passion and having a lot more fun...Defense. We're locked in. We're just having a lot more fun."
Jayson Tatum on what changed for the Celtics: "We're playing with a lot more passion and having a lot more fun...Defense. We're locked in. We're just having a lot more fun."
Tatum also refused to get carried away with the win against Memphis and Boston's improved fortunes. He is now looking ahead to his team's next game against the dangerous Brooklyn Nets, who are bolstered by the return of Kevin Durant.
While Tatum was happy with the Boston Celtics' form in the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies, he urged his team to be ready for their next opponent. He said:
"We were good in the second half. Big win today. But we got another one on Sunday. Gotta get ready for that."
Jayson Tatum: "We were good in the second half. Big win today. But we got another one on Sunday. Gotta get ready for that."
Jayson Tatum is a three-time All-Star. He was drafted third overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2017 Draft. He is averaging 26.0 ppg and 8.3 rpg in his fifth NBA season.
Postgame birthday hugs from @jaytatum0’s #1 fan, Deuce! 💕 https://t.co/YAwI4JkjKY