The Celtics were able to hold off a late Charlotte rally in Monday’s 130-118 win as Boston notched its seventh consecutive win behind 51 points from Jayson Tatum.
Tatum’s 51 points are a new season high and it marks his fifth career game with 50-plus points, which passes Larry Bird for the most 50-point games in Celtics franchise history.
Tatum’s 51 points came on a ridiculous 15-of-23 (65.2%) shooting, including 7-of-12 (58.3%) from deep and a perfect 14-of-14 from the free-throw line. Tatum also grabbed nine rebounds, which was tied for the team lead, and dished out five assists. Tatum had a hand in 20 of the Celtics’ 43 made field goals (46.5%). Thirty-one of Tatum’s 51 points came in the second half, as he led the charge in fighting off a late Charlotte rally.
Tatum has taken his play to an otherworldly level this season. Just this year, he has seven games with 40-plus points, 24 games with 30-plus points, and 36 games with 25-plus points, which leads the NBA.
Tatum continues to build his case for MVP, and it’s something even visiting stadiums are starting to acknowledge. According to NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin, Tatum was getting MVP chants just over three minutes into the game.
At just 24 years old, Tatum has already cemented himself all over the record books of one of the NBA’s most iconic franchises, and it feels like he is still just getting started.