The Boston Celtics did quite well in their first game without Jayson Tatum in the playoffs. They blew out the New York Knicks in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals despite Tatum's absence, winning 127-102.
It was an all-around team victory, with the standouts being Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Luke Kornet, each in their own way. Brown had 12 assists, White had seven three-pointers, and Kornet had seven blocks, among their other contributions.
The Celtics playing as impressively as they did without Tatum certainly raised some eyebrows. Among those who had their own commentary on the Celtics thriving without Tatum is Los Angeles Lakers alum Patrick Beverley.
During the Celtics-Knicks game, Beverley made a bold claim about the Celtics without Tatum.
"With Tatum out that (basketball) is moving," Beverley wrote via his X account.
Beverley played for the Lakers for half a season from 2022 to 2023 and hasn't played in the NBA since 2024. Since his time in the NBA appears to be over, Beverley has turned to doing more work with his podcast.
The Celtics' continued success shows their resilience. Tatum is their best player, but Boston has a deep roster full of good enough players to compensate for his absence. However, that doesn't mean the offense is better without him.
Tatum led the Celtics in assists per game during the 2024-25 regular season, averaging six. That has only continued in the playoffs before he tore his Achilles, as he led the Celtics in that category, averaging 5.4 assists per game.
