Jayson Tatum took over for the Boston Celtics in their Game 4 victory over the Orlando Magic and made NBA history in the process.
The six-time All-Star finished with 37 points and 14 rebounds in the Celtics’ 107-98 win. He was 14-for-14 from the free-throw line, making him 26-for-26 on FTs over his last two games.
According to Celtics stats guru Dick Lipe, Tatum is the first player in NBA playoff history with at least 35 points, 12 free throws, and a 1.000 free-throw percentage in consecutive games. He scored 36 points while making all 12 of his free throws in Boston’s Game 3 loss, a game he was initially listed as doubtful to play in due to a wrist injury.
Tatum tweaked his wrist again during the fourth quarter of Game 4. It didn’t appear to bother him over the final few minutes.
The 27-year-old recorded 16 points in the fourth and didn’t back down when Orlando got physical. He and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, whose hard foul caused his wrist injury in Game 2, got technical fouls after bumping one another, and Tatum laughed off a light shove from KCP.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla praised Tatum’s approach.
“Just poise. Poise. Having an understanding of your environment,” he said. “Obviously, some shot-making there, but at the same time, physical drives and getting to the free-throw line.”
Kristaps Porzingis, who finished with 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting, is impressed with the growth he’s seen from his superstar teammate since joining the C’s last season.
“The three that he hit towards the end of the game, I thought to myself, ‘This guy is special,'” Porzingis said of Tatum. “From when I got here to now, he’s developed even more of a killer instinct.”
Despite winning his first NBA championship last year, Tatum continues to play with a chip on his shoulder. After watching co-star Jaylen Brown earn Eastern Conference and NBA Finals MVP honors, Tatum finished just outside the top three in NBA MVP voting for the 2024-25 season. Not to mention, his forgettable Olympic experience has undoubtedly fueled his fire throughout the campaign.
Tatum will look to stay hot and lead the C’s to a series-clinching win at TD Garden on Tuesday night. Tip-off for Game 5 is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston.
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