Jayson Tatum breaks pair of Celtics franchise playoff records in Game 4 vs. Heat

Aside from a few quiet games, Jayson Tatum has been the definition of an offensive force in the 2023 NBA Playoffs. The Boston Celtics star has averaged north of 27 points per game in every series thus far, with a Game 7 performance against the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round that was arguably the most impressive single-game showing this postseason.

To follow up his 51-point showing against the Sixers, he's averaged 27.8 points while shooting 50.6 percent from the field through four games in the Eastern Conference Finals. But with the Celtics down 3-1 to the Miami Heat, Tatum's personal stats certainly moved to the back burner. And while that still remains true, Tatum's 33-point Game 4 etched his name in the franchise record books.

As StatMuse (and TatumMuse) revealed, the 25-year-old achieved two playoff high-water marks in Game 4:

• Tatum now has the most 3-pointers made in Celtics playoff history, surpassing Paul Pierce. He accomplished this feat in 45 fewer games and with 40 fewer attempts than Pierce, per Land of Basketball.
• Tatum is now the Celtics' all-time leader in points per game in the playoffs.

Both feats are impressive by Tatum, who also surpassed Pierce in just six playoff appearances vs. 10 for his counterpart. When all is said and done in Tatum's career, it's likely that his 3-point total may be nearly untouchable. The four-time All-Star has made north of 30 percent of his attempts in three of four games this series, including 44.4 percent (4-of-9) in Game 4.

Over Tatum's first six NBA seasons, he's shot 36.5 percent from beyond the arc in 90 games. Tatum's talent on the offensive end alone is enough to potentially flip this series in the other direction and help the Celtics dig their way back from a 3-0 deficit. If he can come even close to replicating his performance in Game 4, then it's tough to envision the series not returning to Miami for a Game 6, at the very least.