Jayson Tatum notches historic 43-point triple-double in epic performance vs. Bulls
Tatum finished the night with 43 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists, the first such stat line in Celtics history.
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Jayson Tatum submitted his latest case for MVP on Saturday.
The Celtics’ star logged a historic triple-double to help defeat the Bulls 123-98 in Chicago. Tatum’s phenomenal 43-point, 16-rebound, and 10-assist stat line marked the first such in Celtics history.
The only other Celtic to notch a 40-point triple-double? Larry Bird, three times. Bird came close to achieving Tatum’s 16-rebound mark by logging 14 in two of his triple-doubles (1986 and 1992).
Alas, No. 0 stands alone in Boston’s storied history with his remarkable feat.
As if Tatum’s stats versus the Bulls weren’t impressive enough, he also buried nine three-pointers on 15 attempts. He ended the night 16 of 24 from the field.
Tatum’s dominant Saturday performance was his fourth career triple-double. He’s reached the mark twice in the regular season before, and most recently in the first round of the playoffs against the Miami Heat back in April.
It doesn’t appear in the box score, but Tatum notably posterized Chicago’s Jalen Smith in the third quarter.
Watch the monster dunk:
Head coach Joe Mazzulla heaped praise on Tatum postgame, noting how the player didn’t stray away from being a team player despite statistically taking over the game.
“I think any time you see a guy play like that, you’re just kind of fascinated by it, but I feel like he did it within the flow of the game,” Mazzulla told reporters. “I don’t think he went outside of what we normally do, and that’s a testament to him. Just his shot-making, his decision-making, and his ability to rebound is just great. I thought he kind of controlled the entire game with his poise and decision-making, and took what the defense gave him.”
When asked to explain what “fascinated” him about Tatum’s performance, Mazzulla offered a direct answer.
“Because he’s been doing great things for such a long time, I still think he gets taken for granted,” he replied. “I still think his greatness gets taken for granted because he’s done it for a long time, it comes relatively easy for him, and we’re in Boston, so that’s the expectation.”
Mazzulla even awarded Tatum Saturday’s game ball to commemorate his special night, but with his unique sense of humor. Watch the moment from the locker room:
Tatum’s memorable game comes symbolically just hours after he offered a positive update on the knee injury he’s been battling this month. After tonight, it sure does seem like his health is just fine.
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