Paul Pierce Launched Jayson Tatum-Kevin Durant Take After Celtics’ Game 3 Win

Is Jayson Tatum a better player than Kevin Durant?

Paul Pierce seems to believe it won’t be long until NBA fans and media members alike are answering that question with “yes.”

We’ve seen an uncharacteristically shaky Durant through the first three games of the Celtics-Nets first-round playoff series. KD hasn’t shot particularly well from the field and is averaging nearly six turnovers per contest. Tatum, meanwhile, is the leading scorer in the series (29.6 points per game) and has been very solid on the defensive end as well.

Tatum (39 points) outdueled Durant (16 points) in a big way Saturday night when the Celtics took down the Nets in Game 3 at Barclays Center. After Boston’s 109-103 win, Pierce fired off a tweet that borders on a hot take.

“I think Jason Tatum maybe surpassing Kevin Durant right before our eyes in the NBA hierarchy,” Pierce tweeted.

Tatum still has a lot more work to do before Pierce’s argument gains real legitimacy. Even if the Celtics finish off the Nets on Monday and proceed to go on a lengthy playoff run, Durant probably still is higher than Tatum on the NBA totem pole.

That isn’t a slight on Tatum, as Durant is one of the more dominant offensive players the game has ever seen. But the 24-year-old Tatum is well on his way to being as good as any player in the league.