Jayson Tatum’s progressively grown every season spent with the Boston Celtics, each in abilities and maturity whereas having been within the NBA for less than seven seasons.
Tatum has undergone a mess of experiences from setting an NBA document by scoring 55 factors within the All-Star Recreation to shedding within the NBA Finals regardless of holding a 2-1 collection lead. And whereas watching the previous Duke prospect who was handed on twice earlier than Boston drafted him third general within the 2018 draft, Kevin Durant has shaped his verdict: Tatum is the way forward for the NBA.
“Man, I’ve been on this league a very long time now and I do know when it’s a passing of the guard,” Durant informed reporters at Wednesday’s apply, per Duane Rankin of AZCentral. “I do know when the younger dudes are going to come back in and do the identical factor the older guys are doing. So he’s a kind of guys I really feel like he’s gonna management the league for the following 10, 12 years and be a staple in our sport and historical past of our sport. It’s nearly competing and making an attempt to go on the market and be the very best particular person you could be as a result of you’ll be able to see the sport pushing ahead once you’re on the courtroom with any person like that.”
Durant’s gone head-to-head on a number of events since Tatum first stepped on an NBA flooring.
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In 2021, Durant, then a member of the Brooklyn Nets, defeated Tatum and the Celtics within the first spherical of the playoffs. Then the very subsequent season, Tatum took revenge and swept the Nets en path to Boston’s first Finals look in 14 years.
In the summertime of 2016, the Celtics have been hopefuls to signal Durant because the ex-Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder star examined the free company market and regarded Boston after a gathering. Quick ahead eight years later and the Celtics have that franchise star they spent years looking in Tatum. At simply 26 years of age, Tatum’s established himself as a authentic MVP candidate and now leads an NBA-best 51-14 Celtics staff on the cusp of one other run at Banner 18.
Most just lately, Tatum and Durant squared off in Phoenix final Saturday evening the place the Celtics and Suns met for the primary time this season. Tatum entered the evening contemporary off back-to-back subpar performances in losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Denver Nuggets. However amid yet one more tight contest that just about got here all the way down to the wire, Tatum requested Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla to play in your entire second half, ending with 29 factors to Durant’s 45 whereas — extra importantly — stopping Boston from struggling a 3rd straight loss for the primary time all season lengthy.
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“The sport was beginning to get aggressive and issues like that. I simply needed to remain in,” Tatum informed reporters after Boston’s 117-107 win over Phoenix, per CLNS Media video. “I don’t actually say that many instances however I simply informed Joe I needed to remain in the remainder of the sport. It’s not like I do it on a regular basis — this may’ve been, like, the second time I’ve finished all of it season. So it’s a really feel factor. We belief one another, issues like that.”
Tatum shall be put to the last word check of making use of every part that’s made the Celtics a considerably higher staff in comparison with final season’s as soon as the playoffs begin. With 17 video games left and Boston holding a convincing 9.5-game lead over the Cavaliers atop the Jap Convention, the soon-to-be battled-tested Celtics will want to lean on Tatum to keep away from one other playoff collapse.