Jayson Tatum has established himself not only as one of the top players in the NBA but also as one of the greatest players in Boston Celtics history. While it is too early to rank him among the likes of Bill Russell and Larry Bird, there is no doubt that Tatum has a chance to at least be in the conversation when all is said and done.
Now in his eighth season in the league, Tatum is creating a nice resume for himself. He is a one-time NBA champion, a one-time Eastern Conference Finals MVP, a six-time All-Star, and a four-time All-NBA selection. Furthermore, during Sunday’s matchup against the New York Knicks, the Duke alum achieved another historic milestone.
By scoring 20+ points against the Knicks, Tatum climbed up the rankings and now has the 10th-most 20-point games by an NBA player 26 years old or younger with 361 (via StatMuse). In doing so, Tatum broke a tie with Basketball Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady.
Next up on the list is NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, who had 364 such games. Since the Celtics play four more games before Tatum turns 27, there is a chance that he can move up another spot on the all-time list.
While this is a great milestone for Tatum, it is clear that he has his eyes on a bigger prize–raising another banner in Boston. Tatum and the Celtics are 41-16 and own the third-best record in the NBA.
The Celtics rank as a top-five team on both sides of the ball and are in a good spot to repeat as champions. If they do so, they would be the first team since the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors to achieve this.
