Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum is used to going to work on Christmas.
In fact, Tatum has done so in each season of his NBA career, including Sunday when the Celtics have a showdown with the Milwaukee Bucks at TD Garden on a marquee day for the league.
For Tatum, getting this exclusive opportunity to play on the holiday holds a good deal of significance.
“It means a lot,” Tatum said following Boston’s 121-109 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves at TD Garden on Friday night. “Everybody in the NBA is watching Christmas Day as a kid and dreamed of being in that position. It’s become a tradition for me and for us. To be able to play these last six years, it’s a big deal. It’s special.
“Everybody and their families watch basketball all day, so it’s usually the biggest matchups or games everybody wants to see. I’m always looking forward to playing on Christmas. It’s always fun, the energy and the excitement around the day and just all the games in general.”
Playing on Christmas might just be the stage for Tatum to continue to cement himself as an MVP favorite. He goes into the contest averaging 30.5 points — the fifth-best mark in the NBA — 8.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.
But Tatum hasn’t exactly lit it up on Christmas in his five appearances — the Celtics have gone 2-3 in those contests. He’s only scored more than 20 points only once, which came last season in a four-point road loss to the same Bucks he’ll see this year.
This certainly could be the time when things change for Tatum as he’s proven to be one of the very best players in the league. And showcasing his skill set in front of a much larger audience is something he is grateful for.
“I never take that for granted,” Tatum said. “So, looking forward to it. It’s going to be fun.”
The Celtics, who have played the third most games on Christmas Day in NBA history, haven’t had much luck on the holiday as they sport an under .500 record at 15-20.
This will be just the fourth time the Celtics have held a home game on Christmas, and it will also be the first time they have seen the Bucks since their seven-game Eastern Conference semifinal series this past spring.
Tipoff for the contest is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET.
