Jayson Tatum of St. Louis, MO is a major reason why the Boston Celtics are in the final four of the 2020 NBA Playoffs. The veteran forward who wears number zero, was simply spectacular on Friday in the Orlando bubble, as he was a difference-maker in all aspects of the game. As a result, the Celtics defeated the Toronto Raptors 92-87 in the seventh game of the Eastern Conference semi-finals. The Celtics will now face the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Tatum had 29 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists, to lead not only all Celtics in each aforementioned statistical category, but all players as well. None of the Raptors players were able to achieve that mark.
According to ESPN, Tatum became only the third player in NBA history to lead both teams in points, assists, and rebounds in a seventh game of a playoff series. The only other two players to accomplish the feat are LeBron James of Akron, OH, and Larry Bird of West Baden Springs, IN. Bird registered 39 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in notching a triple double for the Boston Celtics in a 121-104 win over the New York Knicks on May 13, 1984, in game seven of the Eastern Conference semi-finals. James registered 35 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists in also registering a triple double for the Cleveland Cavaliers in an 87-79 win over the Boston Celtics in game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 27, 2018.
Tatum is also the second youngest player in NBA game seven history to register a minimum of 25 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. The youngest is the late Kobe Bryant, who had 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists in an 89-84 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on June 4, 2000. Bryant was 21 years and 286 days old, and Tatum was 22 years and 192 days old. The Eastern Conference Finals between the Celtics and Heat start Tuesday.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
