Without a doubt, Jayson Tatum is the Boston Celtics’ most important player for the past few years. But according to NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins, the All-Star forward’s recent performance in the playoffs has been more powerful than before.
A good example of Perkins’ claim happened in Game 3 between Boston and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Tatum put on a marvelous show when he dropped 33 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists. Jaylen Brown was efficient on the court with his 28 points on 76 percent shooting from the field and 66 percent from beyond the arc. Jrue Holiday added 18 points, eight rebounds, and five assists in the Celtics’ recent win.
For his part, Mitchell led Cleveland with a 33-point explosion to go along with six rebounds and three assists. Evan Mobley tallied 17 points and eight rebounds in Jarrett Allen’s absence. Meanwhile, both Darius Garland and Evan Mobley contributed 15 points each.
The win, fueled by Tatum’s strong performance, helped Boston get the 2-1 lead in the series. They have also taken home court advantage back to their side after losing Game 2 at the TD Garden. On the other hand, the Cavaliers must win the next couple of games if they hope to win the series and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
After the game, several personalities reacted to Tatum’s recent performance in Game 3. Among those who gave their take is NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins when he shared his thoughts on X:
“Completely different Celtics team when Tatum decides to be Powerful instead of Popular. Finally ARRIVED to the Playoffs and did it in Great Fashion on the road where Superstars supposed to show up. Carry on…” Perkins tweeted.
Over the years, Tatum received all sorts of criticism, both from fans and the media. Now, the Celtics’ All-Star forward is proving them wrong by not only leading Boston to the NBA’s best record in the regular season, but also in the playoffs as well. As seen in his recent game against Cleveland, Tatum is firing on all cylinders to push Boston forward in the postseason.
It remains to be seen whether Tatum can continue his hot streak for the remainder of the series. If he does, there’s a good chance the Celtics can make it back to the Conference Finals, and the NBA Finals after that.
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