Jayson Tatum powered the Celtics to a much-needed 116-103 home win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night, dropping 32 points and grabbing 14 rebounds.
It’s exactly what Boston fans needed to see. The team had been struggling at TD Garden lately, losing three of their last four home games.
Tatum came out firing, putting up 21 points in just the first half. He didn’t slow down from there, finishing with seven assists and a blocked shot while shooting a solid 48% from the field.
“We give up too many easy ones at home, so we got to make up for it,” Tatum had told NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin just a day earlier. “We owe it to our fans to play better, and we’re going to figure it out.”
He wasn’t kidding.
The Spurs made things interesting early in the fourth quarter, but Tatum and the Celtics showed their championship DNA by holding off the late push.
San Antonio’s still finding their rhythm after the big De’Aaron Fox trade, sitting at 2-3 since the deal. They’ve got enough talent to make any team sweat, but Boston proved too much on this night.
For Tatum, it’s just another day at the office. He’s scored 30+ points four times already this season, and he’s doing something pretty special in Celtics history.
He’s on track to average 25 or more points for the fifth straight season – something not even the legendary Larry Bird managed to do in Boston.
Love him or hate him, Tatum’s making a strong case as one of the top 10 Celtics ever. The four-time All-NBA selection keeps showing why he’s one of the best wings in the game today.
