Jayson Tatum is well on his way to winning the NBA’s Player of the Month award in a landslide after scoring at a historic and record pace for most of March.
Fresh off of scoring a season-high 54 points at home against the Brooklyn Nets on national television Sunday, Tatum took his high-scoring tour on the road to Charlotte, where he lit the Hornets up for 44 points to lead the Celtics to a 115-101 win Wednesday night.
With 98 points combined in back-to-back games, Tatum tied Kevin McHale’s franchise scoring record over a two-game span.
Certified. Bucket. Getter.
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 10, 2022
Jayson Tatum dropped 44 tonight 🔥
(📸: @celtics) pic.twitter.com/SyTzLAXfC8
Setting Boston scoring records is starting to become a trend for the three-time All-Star as he just recently tied Larry Bird for 50 point games in franchise history over the weekend.
After Jaylen Brown called Tatum “unstoppable” after the Nets game, Celtics teammate Derrick White talked about the influence the superstar forward’s hot streak has on how the team gels.
“They’re doubling, so everybody’s in rotation kind of chasing,” said Derrick White via NBA.com. “So it’s an opportunity for me and everybody else just to take advantage of what the defense gives us and be aggressive.”
Tatum simply cannot miss rn 🔥 (via @celtics) pic.twitter.com/a6rVDqDDXE
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 10, 2022
On the other hand, the former Duke Blue Devil is appreciative and thankful after working his way through a slow start at the beginning of the year.
“I’m in a lot better zone than I was to start the season,” Tatum said with a smile. “But it was just part of it. I believe in the work I put in, and I never doubted myself. I’m just thankful my teammates didn’t doubt me either.”
Not only is he matching scoring marks from legends like Bird and McHale, but Tatum also has a few of his own. The 24-year-old forward owns three of the top four scoring totals over three games in team history.
Most points in a 3-game span in Celtics history
— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) March 10, 2022
1. Jayson Tatum – 135 PTS (3/3/22 – 3/9/22)
2. Jayson Tatum – 128 PTS (4/28/21 – 5/2/21)
3. Larry Bird – 126 PTS (3/12/85 – 3/15/85)
4. Jayson Tatum – 124 PTS (3/1/22 – 3/6/22) pic.twitter.com/MctBp5jaqJ
He gets to try to continue his hot streak Thursday night against the Detroit Pistons.
