Jayson Tatum didn’t just help save the Celtics’ season on Saturday—he made NBA history in the process.
With 22 points in Boston’s 115–93 road win over the Knicks, Tatum passed his idol Kobe Bryant for second-most playoff points before turning 28, trailing only LeBron James on the all-time list. The milestone came as the Celtics finally showed the kind of championship poise that had been missing in Games 1 and 2.
“You just understand what comes with being that guy,” Tatum said postgame. “I get a lot of praise… But I’m not perfect. There’s times where I’ve needed to play better. That comes with being that guy.”
— (via @zm_cox)
Tatum Leads as Celtics Deliver the Response They Needed
After becoming the first team in NBA history to blow 20-point leads in back-to-back home playoff games, Boston came into Madison Square Garden on the brink—and punched back.
The Celtics opened Game 3 with six made threes on their first seven attempts, building a 25-point halftime lead and never looking back. No second-half collapse. No drama. Just business.
Payton Pritchard, the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year, led all scorers with 23 points in 34 minutes, hitting five threes and beating the first-quarter buzzer with a cold-blooded floater.
At the buzzer 🚨
Jaylen Brown and Derrick White added a combined 36 points. Al Horford chipped in 15 of his own. But this night belonged to Tatum—who not only led, but finished.
Tatum’s Milestone Night, In Context
The stats haven’t been pretty for Tatum in this series—he entered Game 3 averaging just 19.3 points on 32.3% shooting. But he came out with urgency, knocking down two early threes and setting the tone.
He also passed Kobe Bryant on the all-time playoff scoring list before age 28—a milestone that quietly underscores how rare his postseason production has been across his career.
Tatum is GENERATIONAL
No Collapse This Time
Even when Jalen Brunson briefly sparked a run in the fourth, cutting the lead to 20, Boston never blinked. A four-minute defensive stretch holding the Knicks to just two points sealed it.
The Celtics improved to 34–8 on the road this season, including playoffs—continuing to embrace the “road dogs” identity.
“You gotta beat us four times,” Jaylen Brown said. “That’s what it comes down to… not twice, not once, not three times. Four games.”
— (via @NoaDalzell)
Back in the Fight
The Celtics now trail the series 2–1 with a chance to even things up on Monday at MSG. They’ve avoided disaster. Now it’s about building momentum.
Tatum made history. But more importantly, he looked like that guy again. And Boston finally looked like a team ready to defend its title.
