NEW YORK — Late in the third quarter, Jayson Tatum popped out to the slot after setting a ball screen for Derrick White. White then kicked to Tatum, who released a 26-foot three-point jumper over the outstretched arms of Jalen Brunson, who was late to recover.
As the ball left his hands, Tatum confidently held his follow-through in that classic goose-neck pose every shooter knows.
When the ball found the bottom of the net, the usually reserved Tatum dropped his arm, turned toward the courtside seats, and emphatically said something in the direction of Knicks superfan Spike Lee before strutting back on defense.
Lee, never one to shy away from barking at opposing players—or the officials—was likely the target. Or maybe Tatum was directing his words toward Denzel Washington, seated right next to Lee, showing some love to the legendary actor, letting him know that he’s got some game as well.
The stars are out at MSG
Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, Ben Stiller, Larry David, & Chris Rock are all dialed in for Celtics-Knicks on ABC! pic.twitter.com/6cNKtOuBM2
— NBA (@NBA) February 9, 2025
“I saw Denzel Washington sitting courtside, so I was excited about that,” Tatum said after the game, adding he tried his best to put on a show for the two-time Academy Award-winning actor.
Whatever the reason, Tatum had earned the moment. On a night packed with superstars in the Big Apple, it was Tatum who shined the brightest, finishing with 40 points on 13-of-26 (50%) shooting from the field and 7-of-14 (50%) from three, six rebounds, and four assists in just 36 minutes.
The now six-time All-Star had Madison Square Garden groaning in frustration all night, as he became just the sixth player in NBA history to drop 40 points with at least seven three-pointers at “The World’s Most Famous Arena, joining Stephen Curry, Trae Young, Cam Thomas, LeBron James, and his fellow All-Star teammate, Jaylen Brown.
“He was ready to play. That was special,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said. “I thought he did a great job just kind of taking what the defense gave him, whether it was for him or his teammates. But, just his ability to play versus different coverages throughout the game, get the shot he wants, and play with a sense of poise – that was a special performance.”
Tatum relentlessly challenged the Knicks all night, and they had no answer. He was in control from the opening bucket—blowing by Karl-Anthony Towns with an in-and-out dribble and throwing down a monster two-handed slam over Precious Achiuwa—to the finishing touches on a blowout.
TATUM POSTER ON THE FIRST BUCKET OF THE GAME
ABC, ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/AD17jGPFL4
— ESPN (@espn) February 9, 2025
The three-pointer that sparked Tatum’s exchange with Lee (or Washington) was the loudest of a 26-7 Celtics run that turned a slim three-point lead into a commanding 22-point cushion. When the Knicks clawed their way back from an 18-point hole to 70-67 with 6:52 left, Tatum, with help from White, snuffed out any hopes of a Knicks comeback, silencing the Garden once and for all.
Tatum was The Equalizer over that 6:52 stretch, scoring or assisting on seven of Boston’s eight made baskets. He poured in 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting (83.3%), including 2-of-3 from deep, ensuring there would be no dramatic finish in New York.
“I thought Jayson did an unbelievable job tonight,” Payton Pritchard said. “He didn’t rush his shots, he got to his spots, and he was money. He broke the lead open for us. That’s what a superstar does– what he did tonight.”
“He was special. From the first play on, just making all the right reads,” White added. “He was big-time all game.”
Photo credit Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
With his 40-point outburst, Tatum passed Hall of Famers Jo Jo White and Dave Cowens to move into ninth place on the Celtics’ all-time scoring list, with 13,193 career points. The names ahead of him—Bill Russell, Sam Jones, Bob Cousy, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Larry Bird, Paul Pierce, and John Havlicek—are all Hall of Famers. Tatum is only 26.
“I’m happy for him. I feel grateful. I joked with both of them [Tatum and Brown] that I didn’t have that on my bucket list to coach those two guys. It just kind of happened, and I’m really grateful that I get to coach him,” Mazzulla said of Tatum moving up the all-time list. “I don’t take that for granted. But you know, that’s big time for him. He does it the right way. So, for him to be able to accomplish that while focused on winning and being a great teammate is really important. And I think he’s still underrated. He’s one of the best players out there.”
Celtics fans shouldn’t either. On nights like Saturday, under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, with a national TV audience watching, fans are reminded of the quiet greatness of Jayson Tatum. He continues to carve his name further into Celtics history, and performances like this are a reminder of the greatness unfolding.
