The Boston Celtics have been a professional basketball team since 1946, joining the NBA in 1949.
In their 75 years, they’ve played 6,880 games and seen a record 41 players or coaches inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. They’ve also retired 24 numbers—the most by any professional sports team in North America.
Yet, in all that history, no player had ever accomplished what Jayson Tatum did in Saturday night’s 123-98 win over the Chicago Bulls.
With 43 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists, Tatum became the first player in Celtics franchise history to record a 40-15-10 triple-double. It’s only the 12th time in NBA history that such a stat line has been achieved, with Tatum accomplishing it in record time, needing just 35 minutes and 31 seconds.
Tatum finished the night shooting 16-of-24 (66.7%) from the field and 9-of-15 (60.0%) from deep, joining James Harden as the second player in NBA history to post a 40-15-10 triple-double with at least eight made three-pointers.
“I think anytime you see a guy play like that, you’re just kind of fascinated by it,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said after the game. “But I thought he did it within the flow of the game. I don’t think he went outside of what we normally do, and that’s a testament to him. But just his shot-making, his decision-making, and his ability to rebound. It was just great. I thought he controlled the entire game with his poise and decision-making and took what the defense gave him.”
Tatum did it all, especially in the third quarter, when he took over and put the game out of reach. The five-time All-Star exploded for 18 points on 7-of-8 (87.5%) shooting, including 4-of-5 (80%) from beyond the arc, while also contributing five rebounds and four assists.
For context, the Bulls managed just 23 points, six rebounds, and three three-pointers in the same period. Chicago made eight field goals in the quarter, while Tatum alone scored or assisted on 11 for Boston.
“He wasn’t forcing anything. He was just making the right play,” Kristaps Porzingis said. “The way he plays, it’s just so pretty. He is who he is for a reason, and tonight was a beautiful game from him.”
Coming off a season where he joined Hakeem Olajuwon, LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, Tim Duncan, and Larry Bird as the only players in NBA history to win a title while leading their team in total points, rebounds, and assists—and joined Michael Jordan and LeBron James as the only players to earn All-NBA First Team honors, win an NBA championship, and secure an Olympic gold medal in the same year—Jayson Tatum is now showing an even better version of himself.
And no, this isn’t recency bias after a historic night.
The 26-year-old is averaging 28.8 points per game (the second-highest of his career, and he was averaging 30 for most of the season’s first quarter), a career-high 9.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists, also a career-high. With 14 double-doubles already, he’s on pace to set a new career high for double-doubles in a season.
Tatum scores in a variety of ways—he’s a lethal shooter who can attack off the dribble, post up defenders, and drive to the basket. As his playmaking ability continues to grow, he’s playing a pivotal role in facilitating Boston’s offense. Over time, he’s mastered how his offensive gravity affects defenses, allowing him to consistently make the right reads and create opportunities for his teammates—a staple of Boston’s offense. And let’s not forget his ability to guard one through five.
“He’s not a PR player,” Porzingis said. “He doesn’t do everything just for PR. He actually plays the right way. He doesn’t need to always score 50 – he’s hungry for winning. There is a big difference.”
Tatum is a rare talent who’s continuously evolving, and his greatness deserves recognition. With a focus on consistency and selflessness, he exemplifies the qualities of Celtics legends, which is why his name is already firmly etched in the franchise’s record books.
“I say this about him all the time – because he’s been doing great things for such a long time, I still think he gets taken for granted,” said Mazzulla. “I still think his greatness gets taken for granted because he’s done it for a long time, and it comes relatively easy to him. And you know, we’re in Boston, which is the expectation.”
In ESPN’s first NBA MVP straw poll of the season, released Friday, Tatum ranked fourth behind Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. He received no first-place votes and only got three of the 95 second-place votes.
Eventually, the long-awaited MVP award will come his way. But for the Celtics, there’s no one they’d rather have leading this team.
“Yeah, no question, 100% it does,” Mazzulla said when asked if he feels Tatum’s greatness is overlooked when it comes to the MVP race. “Again, because I think he’s been doing it for such a long time, and he’s on a really good team, I think that hurts him sometimes. But just his ability to do what he does on a great team, I think, says more about who he is as a player.”
For now, Tatum and Celtics fans should savor the moment. This is a special group led by a special player with the potential to accomplish something truly remarkable this spring.
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