Wizards' Bradley Beal opens up on challenge of guarding Celtics' Jayson Tatum

Jayson Tatum put the Boston Celtics on his back Tuesday night, putting up 50 points for the third time this season in a 118-100 win over the Washington Wizards to clinch the No. 7 seed and a date with the Brooklyn Nets in round one of the NBA playoffs. 

Tatum's longtime friend and Wizards star Bradley Beal, who has seen plenty of impressive performances out of the 23-year-old over the last four seasons, said after the game that guarding the Celtics star is a difficult task. 

"It didn't matter who was in front of him," Beal said, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps. "That is something I have been trying to tell his a-- for years. It's tough when you guard him. He's 6-9, he can get his shot off, he's strong and can shoot the ball.

"He's a three-level scorer. So you got to respect everything he does on the floor. I know a lot of his moves, and a lot of it I was there, but I am only 6-3. I wish I was 6-9 with robotic arms.

"He's a special talent, and I have been saying that since he was in diapers. It doesn't surprise me."

Tatum's 50-point night was impressive. He went 17-for-17 from the foul line and had eight rebounds, four assists, a steal and two blocks in 41 minutes. The Celtics will be hoping he can replicate that performance in Game 1 against the Nets on Saturday. However, it won't be an easy task. 

Brooklyn is led by Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, who helped the Nets win their final five games of the season to clinch the second seed. 

Boston also lost all three of its meetings with Brooklyn this season. The Celtics' latest loss to the Nets came while Durant and Harden were sidelined, which doesn't bode well for their chances.