Jayson Tatum's first playoff run as the Celtics' clear-cut No. 1 is off to a great start.
Tatum scored a game-high 32 points in Boston's series-opening win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. The third-year forward followed up that stellar performance with a 33-point outburst in the Celtics' Game 2 win Wednesday, which included an 8-for-12 shooting clip from 3-point range.
This season truly has been the coming-out party for Tatum, who's seamlessly transitioned into a leadership role while also taking his own game to the next level. Enes Kanter on Wednesday struggled to find the complimentary words that do Tatum justice.
“Jayson Tatum is unbelievable, man. I have no words for him,” Kanter said after Boston's Game 2 win, per Celtics.com. “This guy is just bringing so much, not just on the court, but bringing so much pure leadership. Every time he’s out there, he’s having fun, he’s making himself better and he’s making everybody else better around him. That’s what makes him really special.”
Tatum will look to keep things rolling Friday night when the Celtics aim to take a 3-0 series lead over the 76ers.