And while he usually eases into games, Tatum punctuated the Celtics desire and determination 48 seconds into the first quarter. He took a pass from Derrick White, accepted a screen from Luke Kornet, juked Karl-Anthony Towns, who expected a left-handed drive, leaving Precious Achiuwa as the final line of defense.
A juiced up Tatum then stuffed the ball with two hands on Achiuwa for the game’s first basket. And it summarized his masterful effort in the 131-104 wire-to-wire win that not only cemented the Celtics status as still the team to beat in the East but Tatum as a premier player despite some recent struggles.
Tatum led Boston with 40 points, including 18 points in a captivating third quarter when he played to the crowd, splashing threes, capitalizing on the Knicks trapping defense to create single coverage drives, a situation he relishes, and drawing doubles to pass to open teammates.
It was a masterclass in handling a defense designed to stop him, and his teammates played their roles perfectly, which was an encouraging sign. The Celtics blasted the Knicks without Kristaps Porzingis, who was a late scratch with an illness, and Jrue Holiday.
The one thing Tatum exemplified Saturday was that he can be counted on when the lights are brightest. He has been visibly tired of late as many players grind through the final pre-All Star Break schedule. But there would be no grinding on Saturday, and Tatum proved that the Knicks acquisition of Mikal Bridges to contain him may not be as impactful as initially thought.
“Besides Boston, this is probably the best place to play,” Tatum said of New York. “They got, you know, all the celebrities. They also have an edge about them. They know basketball. They’re passionate. They chant, and they’re cheering the whole time. So, it’s a special place to play.
“We lost last game, and finding out [Porzingis] was out right before the game. We knew it was going to be a challenge. I saw Denzel Washington sitting courtside, so I was excited about that.”
And while president of basketball operations Brad Stevens was rather inactive during the trade deadline, making one minor trade, he reiterated his belief in the Celtics’ depth when the team is right. They were right Saturday and that’s an encouraging sign because the consistency is being more consistent.
If Luke Kornet was a quarterback, his passer rating would have been a perfect 158.3. He made all seven of his shots, protected the rim (3 blocks) and rebounded (12, one short of his career high). The Celtics have been looking for Kornet to be a little less Mr. Rogers and a little more Nicky Santoro in the middle.
It was perhaps his finest performance as a Celtic, and an indication he can be relied upon to play sizable minutes, especially when Porzingis is not available. The final 29 games will give the Celtics an opportunity to shore up their weaknesses, give struggling players an opportunity to get right and gain more confidence and cohesion overall.
“It was obviously a game that the guys wanted,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “It should be that way but at the same time we have to do the same thing 36 hours or whatever it is from now (against Miami). It was a great environment and I thought the guys kind of relished in that and stuck together.”
A caveat from this victory was leaving the Knicks just as confused as when the Celtics nailed 29 3-pointers to blow them out in the season opener. The Knicks made significant offseason moves – trading for Karl-Anthony Towns and Bridges and re-signing OG Anunoby (who missed Saturday with a foot injury). After 3½ months since that first matchup and four days off to rest, the Knicks thought they were ready. All they’ve proved if they’re still a distance third in the East.
“”We have a lot of work to do. As simple as that,” Towns said. “There’s no sugarcoating. There’s no moral wins. This is something we have to work on. We got to find a way to beat teams like tonight. That’s a team that is in the race. They want to be in the race as much as we do to win a championship but for them, it’s another one. A back-to-back. Like I said, championship teams are great teams, in my experience. They test your discipline and that’s something that we have to work on.”
There’s two games left before the All-Star Break – Miami and San Antonio – and Saturday proved the Celtics are closer to being whole as they approach this much-needed break. They impressively passed two recent tests, including a dominant performance in basketball’s mecca. It was encouraging for the Celtics to still display their championship characteristics when all eyes were watching.
The next step is avoiding any letdowns or setbacks when the stage isn’t as grand.
Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.
