There's a wild Jayson Tatum stat to start the season
By Max Weisman
It's only been two games, but the defending NBA Champion Boston Celtics look every bit and more like the team that won its record-breaking 18th championship in June. On the NBA's opening night, the Celtics played the New York Knicks, who analysts said retooled and revamped their roster to compete with the Celtics in the East.
Boston proceeded to hit an record-tying 29 three pointers in a 132-109 victory. The game felt over at the end of the first quarter, with Boston holding a 43-24 lead. On the night they received their rings, there was no emotional letdown as the Celtics kept their foot on the gas.
Forward Jayson Tatum began his season with a bang, scoring 37 points on 14-of-18 shooting and adding 10 assists. In the Celtics' second game of the season, Tatum scored 25 points in a 122-102 win over the Washington Wizards. Tatum welcomed Wizards rookie Alex Sarr to the league in style.
Jayson Tatum welcomes No. 2 pick Alex Sarr to the league 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Y0ffeKhSPY
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 25, 2024
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What should scare other teams isn't just that Tatum is now averaging 31 points per game in the first two games, it's that he's averaging 31 points in three quarters. Jayson Tatum hasn't played one minute of fourth quarter basketball this season. Tatum checked out at the end of the third quarter against the Knicks, and against the Wizards he left the game with 2:40 left in the third.
The Celtics are a monster, and they're not even fully healthy. They're doing this with center Kristaps Porzingis out with a lower left leg injury. Porzingis should be able to return around Christmas. Boston will head to Detroit to play the 0-1 Pistons on Saturday.
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