Jayson Tatum scored 54 points in the Boston Celtics 126-120 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday. In doing so he tied Celtics great Larry Bird in franchise 50-point games but what does Tatum need to achieve in his career to be remembered in the same light as Bird and so many more Boston Celtics legends?

The Boston Celtics got off to a disappointing start this season under new coach Ime Udoka. However, since the turn of the year the team is 39-27 and sit fifth in the Eastern Conference. Just two games off the top 2 seeds having won 22 of their 30 games in 2022, with Jayson Tatum leading the offense. 

Following an inconsistent start to the season, Tatum’s improvement has coincided with improvement in results. The 24-year-old is averaging 26.5 PPG, 8.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists, with a 50.6 effective field goal percentage. The former Duke forward is showing an ability to score the basketball that we haven’t seen since Kobe Bryant but to go down in Celtics folklore you must win championships. 

Despite Jayson Tatum only being in his fifth season in the NBA, he is already a 3x All-Star and was selected to the All-NBA Third Team in 2020. Meagre accomplishments compared Celtics legends of years past but in this modern NBA and at his age, Tatum has had a great start to his professional career, now comes team success. 

According to FiveThirtyEight the Boston Celtics currently have the highest chance of winning the NBA Finals in 2022, despite holding just the 10 best record in the league. Clearly a sign of the vast defensive improvements the team has made since the turn of the year. Currently the second-best defensive team in the NBA. This is no doubt the next step in Jayson Tatum’s career having fallen short in the Conference twice already in his career. 

Tatum was part of the Celtics team that took LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in his rookie season. Putting up 351 points across the entire postseason, only Kareem Abdul Jabbar (352) scored more in his rookie season. He then led the team back to the Eastern Conference finals in ‘the Bubble’ but they were beaten by Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat in six games. 

There is no doubt that Jayson Tatum has the talent to win MVP’s and scoring titles during his career but Bostonian’s demand team success. Tatum is showing another year of growth in 2021/22 having improved every season he has been in the league. While defence may be the key to their current success, Jayson Tatum is the key to them winning their first championship since 2008. 

If Jayson Tatum delivers a ring to the Boston Celtics during his tenure with the team, he will go down as the greatest Celtic since Larry Bird. He is without doubt the most talented player the team has had since Larry Legend but he must deliver those ever-coveted NBA Championships to be remembered as a Celtics legend.

This ain’t no small market! 

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