Jayson Tatum led the Celtics in scoring again as they took Game 4 against the Miami Heat, putting up a 31-point performance to shut down his doubters after a poor Game 3 performance. On his day, Tatum is a two-way beast, contributing hugely on the defensive end while putting up excellent numbers on offense.
Tatum has had to deal with media members and fans alike, suggesting that he is not yet a superstar after a few poor games during the playoffs, but he has always responded in the best way, taking over games and helping the Celtics to a win. His team is poised to go to the Finals as well now if he can keep this up for even 2 more games.
And JJ Redick, someone whose voice has become quite respected in NBA circles, thinks that Tatum is a top 10 player in the league already. He said as much on ESPN’s show Get Up:
(starts at 00:39 minutes)
“Look, Tatum to me, had another classic bounce back game. I have a real interesting stat, since mid-January he’s played in 48 games and he hasn’t played in consecutive losses. And any time they’ve lost, he’s averaged 32 and averaged 51% from the field after the loss. He’s gotta be able to be a little more consistent to close the series out, but I expect the Celtics to win.”
“Look, he is a great player. he’s probably at this point, a top 8 or 10 player in the NBA, and yeah a player like that, you expect them to have big nights back-to-back.”
The series is currently tied at 2-2 and going back to Miami. Tatum will have to have at least one huge road playoff performance, but if he can, then the Celtics have an excellent chance of progressing to the NBA Finals. If he can carry them there, then that would be a huge bonus for his legacy in what is still a very young career.
